In a historic season, the Cleveland Cavaliers clinched the number one seed in the Eastern Conference with a win over the Chicago Bulls, 135-113. By clinching the top spot in the East, Cleveland will carry home-court advantage through the playoffs in the East. Entering Tuesday, the Cavaliers needed either one win or a Boston Celtics loss to clinch the top spot.
Dominant Season
The Cleveland Cavaliers held a stronghold on the East for most of the season. They opened the season on a 15-game winning streak. On October 30th, 2024, Cleveland took sole possession of the top spot. Once the one seed was in their grips, they did not surrender that in the season. The Cavaliers have dominated the Eastern and Western conferences with multiple double-digit win streaks. This will be the franchise’s fourth time securing the one seed. The last time they held the one seed, that team won the NBA championship in 2015-16.
End Of Season Slump
In mid-March, Cleveland faced a four-game losing streak on a tough West Coast trip. The Cleveland Cavaliers played eight games in 12 days. Having played multiple back-to-back games, they faced a slump. Losing four games in a row. That losing streak allowed the Boston Celtics to narrow the gap by going on a nine-game winning streak. Over the last two weeks, Cleveland reclaimed its form. This past Sunday, they had an opportunity to wrap the top seed but failed to do so, losing to the Sacramento Kings.
No Donovan Mitchell, No Problem
Donovan Mitchell did not play against the Bulls on Tuesday because of an ankle injury he sustained Sunday against the Kings. When Mitchell does not play this year, the Cavaliers have gone 8-0. Mitchell did not play, and the Chicago Bulls were shorthanded as well. They were without Lonzo Ball, Josh Giddey, Nicola Vucevic, and Coby White. Fellow Cavalier teammates stepped up. Darius Garland had 28 points with five assists, Evan Mobley added 21 points with 12 rebounds, and off the bench, Ty Jerome and DeAndre Hunter added 17 and 18 points, respectively.
Final Thoughts
Securing the top spot was just the latest achievement, a historic season: Last week, Cleveland surpassed 60 wins for the third time in franchise history. They still have a chance to secure the best record in franchise history. Two questions remain. Will the Cleveland Cavaliers pursue the franchise win record?
Can they secure home-court advantage and capture the best record in the NBA? The Cleveland Cavaliers have had a dominant season, and they understand that the work is just beginning. They can choose to rest or chase the franchise record. Time will tell if their regular success will translate to the post-season.
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