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CLEVELAND, Ohio — The Cavs have a reputation for being one of the NBA’s most joyous squads, with their sideline celebrations, camaraderie, and unrelenting belief in one another. But in their 124-101 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks on Friday night at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse, the Cavs revealed a different side — one as ruthless as the league’s best, without losing the fun that defines their identity. Milwaukee entered the game fresh off an NBA Cup championship, having won 11 of their last 13 contests.
They were riding high, with Giannis Antetokounmpo playing MVP-caliber basketball and the team exuding confidence. Cleveland didn’t flinch. Instead, the Cavs overwhelmed the Bucks with a relentless blend of precision and physicality, leading for all but 89 seconds and never letting their foot off the gas.
The statement win improved their record to a blistering 24-4 start — tied for the best 28-game opening in franchise history. Kenny Atkinson’s team has been building championship habits since day one, but they’ve sometimes veered off course. In an early season matchup against the Warriors in November, Cleveland saw a 41-point halftime lead dwindle as complacency crept in.
That night, Tristan Thompson, the team’s veteran voice and a champion himself, gave an impassioned speech, reminding his teammates that dominance isn’t about the scoreboard or opponent but about their standards. The lesson stuck, and it was on full display Friday. “This is who we want to be,” five-time All-Star Donovan Mitchell explained.
“We understand that, yeah, they won the Cup, they’re champions, so to speak right now. So for us to come in and set that tone, doesn’t matter if we’re up 30, down 30. That’s what we want to be.
“We’re continuing to build the right habits, and it shows that we’re willing to do whatever it takes to win these games. ..
. We all got to do it together, and that just shows what we’ve really been working on all season.” The Cavs played with a purpose rarely seen so early in the season.
Every possession carried weight, even with a comfortable lead. By the time Atkinson cleared the bench with nine minutes remaining, Cleveland was up by 33 points. The Cavs’ largest lead of the contest was 36 points, trailing for only 89 seconds in the first quarter.
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The Cavs’ largest lead of the contest was 36 points. Over the entire game, they trailed for just 89 seconds in the first quarter. “Everybody on our team is dangerous,” Max Strus said after his season debut.
“Can’t really leave anybody open, and we all have the confidence to shoot it and confidence in each other to shoot every single shot. You can’t sleep on anyone, any given night. [Those are] the most dangerous teams in the NBA, the ones that 1 through 15 anybody can have a night to help us win a game.
It’s really fun to be a part of.” The way the team closed quarters, fought for loose balls, and maintained their defensive principles mirrored the intensity of a playoff game, not a mid-December matchup. Plays like Caris LeVert’s hustle at the end of the third quarter encapsulated the team’s evolution.
With the clock winding down in the third quarter, Caris LeVert drove to the basket for a contested finish at the rim, causing him to fall to the floor, potentially warranting a foul. Instead of complaining about the no-call, LeVert sprang to his feet and hustled back on defense. He didn’t have to go far, stealing the Bucks’ inbound pass.
As the ball squirted out of his hands, LeVert dove onto the floor, tipping it to a trailing Mitchell, who drained a 3-pointer to extend the Cavs’ lead to 27 points. The Cavs didn’t ease up there, either. Cleveland Cavaliers forward Georges Niang dives for a loose ball against the Milwaukee Bucks in the second half of play.
Joshua Gunter, cleveland.com Early in the fourth quarter, a loose ball on the defensive end prompted Georges Niang to hurl his body onto the hardwood, wrestling it away from a Bucks player and sparking another Mitchell transition 3-pointer. The shot didn’t fall for the five-time All-Star, but Evan Mobley soared above two defenders to snatch the offensive rebound.
Instead of timidly kicking the ball back out, as he might have in previous seasons, Mobley attacked both defenders with unflinching force, drawing a foul and finishing the play. The arena erupted, and Mitchell let out a primal roar into the sea of Cleveland faithful as Mobley stood in the heart of the paint, emboldened and commanding, as if he owned it. These are the plays that define a team on a mission.
“That’s the spirit of this group,” Atkinson stated. “They’re connected, and they’re desperate to get to that next level. That was a great indication.
They play hard.” Even as Bucks head coach Doc Rivers waved the white flag by sitting his starters for the final frame, the Cavs’ reserves mirrored the effort of the starters. The difference this season isn’t just talent—it’s the hunger to be better, sharper, more ruthless.
That mindset stems from a roster that knows how close it came to breaking through last year. A second-round exit to the eventual champion Boston Celtics left them with unfinished business, and they’ve returned with an understanding of what it takes to win at the highest level. The cohesion of a group returning 13 of 14 players from the previous season, paired with the guidance of Atkinson and Thompson’s veteran presence, has created a team that doesn’t just talk about high standards — they live them.
For a fanbase yearning for a team that embodies grit and brilliance, Friday night was a glimpse of what could be. It was a blueprint for what the Cavs hope to replicate deep into spring. The habits they displayed — disciplined defense, unselfish offense, and an unyielding desire to outwork their opponent — are the foundation for a championship run.
With the league’s best record and a style that combines joy and ferocity, the Cavs are proving they’re more than contenders — they’re a team ready to take the hearts of their opponents while keeping theirs firmly intact. The path to a title is long, but if its win over a contending Bucks squad was any indication, Cleveland is in the driver’s seat, not just along for the ride..
