3 observations from the Cleveland Cavaliers' 7-game winning streak
The Cleveland Cavaliers dominated the Detroit Pistons on the road on Friday (112-88) and extended their winning streak to seven games.
Despite playing without their superstar duo of Darius Garland (knee) and Donovan Mitchell (ankle), the Cavs cruised past their opponents and are second in the East (7-1), trailing only the Milwaukee Bucks (8-0).
Kevin Love was unstoppable coming off the bench and flirted with a triple-double (21 points, 10 assists and eight rebounds).
That said, here are three observations from the Cavs' impressive start to the season and their seven-game winning streak:
#1 - Cleveland Cavaliers made a statement early on
Donovan Mitchell's signing this offseason transformed the Cleveland Cavaliers into legit title contenders.
The addition of an All-Star player is what this young team needed to take it to the next level. This year, Cleveland has a deep roster that can defeat any opponent.
Darius Garland, Donovan Mitchell, Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen have created a "Big 4" in Cleveland. Meanwhile, Caris LeVert has rejuvenated his career following a couple of rough seasons.
Former All-Star and NBA champion Kevin Love is coming off the bench to bring experience and elite three-point shooting, while Isaac Okoro and Cedi Osman offer extra help on both ends.
Hence, the Cavs have a deep roster capable of playing at high standards on both ends. This has been clear in the first games of the season.
After their first eight games, they are sixth on offense in the league with 116.5 points per game and have the second-best defense, allowing just 104.4 points per game.
With victories against fellow Eastern Conference contenders like the Boston Celtics (twice), Chicago Bulls and New York Knicks, Cleveland has already made its presence felt.
#2 - Donovan Mitchell has been a perfect fit for the Cavs
Like we said, Donovan Mitchell's arrival is the move the franchise needed to contend for the championship.
The All-Star guard has a different role compared to his time with the Utah Jazz and has more freedom to score and create for his teammates.
Hence, he has been unleashed so far, averaging 31.1 points and 7.1 assists per game and shooting 43.8% from three.
His highlight performances have come against the Celtics (41 points) and the Knicks (38 points, 12 assists), a team that was also the favorite to sign him in the summer.
Mitchell has built great on-court chemistry with fellow star guard Darius Garland. This is great news for coach J.B. Bickerstaff, who sees two ball-dominant players have a smooth collaboration on the floor.
#3 - Cleveland Cavaliers are the best team in the NBA in clutch minutes
The Cleveland Cavaliers have won their last seven games and have a 7-1 record after their first eight games.
So far this season, no team has played more clutch minutes than the Cavs. Clutch minutes are any game within five points in the final five minutes or overtime.
Cleveland has played 33 clutch minutes in six of its first eight games. Three of these six games were decided in overtime, with the Cavs being 5-1 with a +16.9 net rating in this clutch time.
They have also been impressive defensively in clutch minutes, allowing less than a point per possession.
These numbers show the Cavs' ability to close out games and build character, which is important if they want to challenge for the title.
Overall, Cleveland has started the season explosively and have already shown they aim for nothing less than the title.
Following their victory over the Pistons, they have now shifted their focus to Sunday's road game versus the struggling Los Angeles Lakers (2-6), where they will seek to extend their winning streak to eight games.