The Cleveland Cavaliers’ 122-82 demolition of the Orlando Magic was a statement, but not the statement Cleveland has been trying to make. Yes, it gave them 48 wins, matching last season’s total. However, despite this, no one in the locker room seemed to care, including Cavs head coach Kenny Atkinson.
In our locker room, amongst us, no one is talking about our record,” Atkinson said. “Focused on trying to prepare for these playoffs. Championship mentality.”
That mentality is exactly why Cleveland’s upcoming showdown against the Boston Celtics matters. More than just another regular-season game, it’s a proving ground. With the NBA Playoffs just weeks away, Cleveland must show they can go toe-to-toe with the league’s elite, and there is no greater test than the reigning champions.
The standard has been raised in Cleveland. The team’s recent run of dominance with eight straight wins and winning 12 of their last 13 has silenced some skeptics. The Cavs are undefeated since acquiring De’Andre Hunter at the trade deadline, with Cleveland outscoring opponents by 23.1 points per 100 possessions.
Unfortunately, for the Cavs, it’s no longer about milestones, accolades, or seeding. And in the win column, beating teams like the Knicks and Magic is one thing. However, beating Boston, showcasing their routine dominance, is another.
So with both the Cavs and Celtics set to collide, for Cleveland, it’s about proving they belong on the same tier as Boston, the team that sets the bar. This is no longer a scrappy upstart Cavs squad looking for validation—it’s championship or bust.
“We’re not going to talk around it. We want to win a championship,” said Cavs Sixth Man Ty Jerome. “That’s our goal. If that’s not your goal, why come to training camp?”
But they haven’t shown that dominance against the Celtics in Boston or when the defending champions are at full strength. When those factors come into play, the Cavs chafe from the friction, exposing all-too-familiar demons that hamstrung Cleveland against Boston in last season’s Eastern Conference Semifinals, forcing the team to adapt.
Whether it was handling the pressure of facing the Celtics in Boston or dealing with a healthy Celtics squad, the Cavs’ struggles and shortcomings from last season have come into focus this year.
During last year’s Eastern Conference Semifinals, Cleveland was unable to counter Boston’s physicality and depth that fueled the Celtics to win the seven-game series 4-1. In response to these struggles, the Cavs developed and patiently maneuvered, wheeling and dealing at the NBA trade deadline, to field a roster that features versatility, more toughness, and most importantly, more answers to what the Celtics can throw at them.
The addition of Hunter and Javonte Green, combined with the emergence of Evan Mobley and the continued growth of Isaac Okoro, gives Cleveland defensive options they simply didn’t have last season. Against Boston, the Cavs can match size with a lineup of Mitchell, Hunter, Wade, Okoro, and Mobley, something no one has seen at full strength before. Postseason basketball demands adaptability and the Cavs finally have it.
That adaptability can make a difference in a possible best-of-seven series if both Cleveland and Boston meet again come playoff time. However, having the tools to beat Boston is one thing. Using them to break the Celtics is another.
This season, like they have in the past, the Cavs have been able to steal games from top teams, but never assert control over them. That has to change. They need to show Boston they are not just a tough out, but a true contender. The Celtics can scheme around one or two threats — but can they scheme around an entire evolved roster?
This upcoming matchup is a dress rehearsal for what’s to come. The Cavs have already proven they can dominate lesser teams. Now, they need to show they can shake the league’s hierarchy. A win over Boston won’t just be a confidence booster — it will be a declaration.
“We still have to do our job come playoff time,” Cavs superstar Donovan Mitchell admitted. “It’s nice. We are getting better and playing good basketball. But at the end of the day, I’m that guy in the locker room — we haven’t done anything. We have to be able to produce the same type of energy and production come playoff time. We will. Believe we will. That is the biggest thing for us. It’s the nature of what we do.
“Always going to be excited for what we are doing and the habits we are building but at the end of the day, what have we truly done as a group?
“Have to go out there and prove it when it counts.”
For Cleveland, it’s not about the past. It’s not about records. It’s about what comes next. And if they want to take the next step, they need to prove — right now — that they can go through Boston to do it.
