NBA: 3 teams whose hot starts can be trusted through 10 games

Cleveland Cavaliers

Switching gears to the Eastern Conference, the Cleveland Cavaliers have been a pleasant surprise to start the season. After acquiring Donovan Mitchell from the Jazz, many expected Cleveland would improve upon last season’s success. However, not many thought it would click in Cleveland this quickly.

Through 10 games, the Cavs are 8-2. They sit one game back of the Milwaukee Bucks for the top seed in the East. Their only two losses are a three-point loss to the Toronto Raptors in the first game of the season and a two-point loss to the LA Clippers.

A lot of their success can be attributed to Donovan Mitchell’s arrival who has been nothing short of sensational for Cleveland. Mitchell is currently fourth in the league in scoring (31.2 ppg) and is shooting 50.5% from the field and 45.1% three-point percentage which are all career-highs.

He’s exactly what Cleveland was missing a season ago — a go-to scorer and he’s playing the best basketball of his career.

Having said that, Mitchell isn’t the main reason for the Cavs success. It’s truly been a team effort in Cleveland.

Their defense anchored by the twin towers of Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley has led the Cavs to the second-best defensive rating (104.7) in the league.

What’s most impressive though is that the Cavs core four of Mitchell, Allen, Mobley, and Darius Garland have only played a combined 28 minutes together over their first eight games because of various injuries issues, per ESPN’s Brian Windhorst.

A winning culture is being built in Cleveland. They have all the makings of a legitimate championship contender. They have two guys who can get a bucket whenever they want and can play-make for others in Mitchell and Garland. They play exceptional defense anchored by Allen and Mobley. They shoot the three-ball incredibly well (39.9%).

They have a balanced roster full of depth as they have six players averaging more than ten points per game and eight players averaging more than twenty minutes per game. They are a complete basketball team.

It is still very early, and Cleveland will go through a rough patch as every team does, but, barring any injuries which have already been a concern this season, Cleveland is back in the contending picture for the first time since the LeBron days.