The Cleveland Cavaliers have had a rocky season, which is a stark difference from the superb 2024-25 season they had. Their roster is mostly the same under head coach Kenny Atkinson, but they have had a lot of struggles this season.
Recently, it appears they have turned a corner, but that was not apparent during most of Friday's game against the Denver Nuggets. The Cavs won 113-108, but it was a scrappy result, as they needed the Nuggets to only have an 11-point fourth quarter to get the win.
A win that was not pretty, but much needed
The Cavaliers are now on a three-game winning streak, which started with a big win against the San Antonio Spurs on Monday. Now, the Cavs have had a perfect week with big wins against the Spurs, Nuggets, and the Phoenix Suns.
This was a much-needed result for the Cavaliers, as they are gradually climbing the Eastern Conference standings. They can still reach close to the top of the East, which was where they were projected before the season.
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Donovan Mitchell had a superb performance against the Nuggets. He posted 33 points, six rebounds, and five assists to lead his team to victory. Denver did not have Jonas Valanciunas and superstar center Nikola Jokic. Jamal Murray had a big game of 34 points, six rebounds, and seven assists, but it was not enough to win the game.
"We locked in. I feel like the first three quarters, we weren't ourselves. That's kinda been the issue we've had all year, but the biggest thing is we responded. We finished the game out, we lost a game like this against Golden State with all our guys," Mitchell said on the Prime Video NBA broadcast after the game.
"It's not always gonna be pretty, but we found a way. We locked in, that's a credit to all 15. I think the biggest thing is competing on both ends of the floor."
Moving forward, the Cavaliers are taking this win as a confidence booster. They are now on their longest winning streak since November, which has not been a good look for the Cavs.
However, Mitchell and the rest of his teammates are working hard to return to their peak. They are one of the most talented teams in the league, and they want to meet the expectations put on them before the season even started.
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