After losing 122-110 to the Cleveland Cavaliers on New Year’s Eve, it’s clear the Cavs are strong contenders for this season’s NBA championship. They recently beat another top team, the Warriors, extending their winning streak to seven.
Now, with their victory over the Lakers, the streak has grown to 8-0. It’s amazing that Cleveland hasn’t lost a game in their last eight matches, and no top team has been able to give a proper challenge to them.
The Lakers were unable to stop the Cavs, as they did the previous time when they lost 134-110 in Cleveland on October 30. On Tuesday, the Cavs dominated again, winning 122-110. Jarrett Allen led the way with 27 points and 14 rebounds, while Donovan Mitchell added 26 points and Max Strus scored 20 off the bench.
The Cavs had the perimeter & paint in check thanks to Spida & JA 🔥
— NBA (@NBA) January 1, 2025
Allen: 27 PTS, 14 REB, 3 BLK
Mitchell: 26 PTS, 6 3PM, 4 REB, 4 AST
Cleveland gets their 8th straight W! pic.twitter.com/mMaqkKdeyx
Austin Reaves had a near triple-double with 35 points, 9 rebounds, and 10 assists. LeBron James finished with 23 points, and Anthony Davis had 28 points and 13 rebounds. But even their great performances weren’t enough to stop Cleveland.
The Cavs led 96-80 early in the fourth, but the Lakers made a push, cutting it to 112-107. Cleveland sealed the win with a 10-3 run, capped off by Allen’s dunk to give them a 116-107 lead.
Cleveland Coach shares honest view on team’s performance
After beating the Lakers, Cleveland’s coach, Kenny Atkinson, said the team wants to be known for playoff performance, not just regular season wins. He believes they still have a lot of work to do.
He explained, “We know it’s about playoff performance. That’s what it comes down to. You don’t want to be that team that everyone says, ‘Oh, they’re a good regular season team.’ We have a day-to-day process that we are engaged in. That’s part of the humility.”
He also said, “Donovan says it all the time. Our guys say it all the time. We haven’t done anything yet. It’s great. Our record is great. You have to prove it when it really counts. We’re anxious to get there.”
