Cavaliers star Donovan Mitchell doesn’t want to see Cleveland get complacent just because of a historic start to the season.
The Cavaliers set a franchise record by opening the campaign with nine straight wins, and they don’t plan on taking their foot off the gas when the visiting Golden State Warriors come to town on Friday night.
Cleveland most recently beat the New Orleans Pelicans 131-122 on Wednesday night, getting a game-high-tying 29 points from Mitchell. Jarrett Allen and reserve Caris LeVert each added 16 points, with Allen also hauling in 14 rebounds.
“We’re playing good basketball,” Mitchell said. “We’ve done it in so many different ways. We’ve had blowouts, close games, come-from-behind wins. It’s just the habits that really get me excited about what we’re doing. My biggest thing is just being consistent. Let’s continually be this team.”
Thanks to the victory, Kenny Atkinson became the first coach in NBA history to go 9-0 through the first nine games with his new team.
“What I think about is this team and the camaraderie they have, and the chemistry we have going and how connected they are,” Atkinson said. “I’ve been fortunate to land with a really good group, a group that’s been really successful in the past.”
Golden State is awfully familiar with Atkinson, who was with the Warriors from 2021-24 as an assistant coach.
A historic start is something that Golden State is no stranger to either, as the team won 24 games in a row to open the 2015-16 season.
Perfection for more than a month at the beginning of the campaign wasn’t in the cards for the Warriors this time around, but they are still 7-1 through their first eight. Their latest victory was their best, a 118-112 showing against the Boston Celtics on Wednesday night.
Stephen Curry went for 27 points, seven rebounds and nine assists against the defending champions, while Andrew Wiggins and Buddy Hield chipped in 16 points apiece.
It was the third game of a five-game road trip that isn’t about to get any easier for Golden State. After facing the Cavaliers, the Warriors are off to Oklahoma City for a battle with the 7-1 Thunder on Sunday.
“We haven’t done anything yet,” Curry said. “A good team, or a relevant team, wins the games they are supposed to win, you steal a couple on the road against good teams, you protect your home court. We’ve done those things so far, but we got two more games on this road trip, two tough tests.
“So I like where we’re at, obviously. But (there’s a) long way to go.”
Golden State might be short-handed against Cleveland, as Draymond Green (knee), De’Anthony Melton (back) and Brandin Podziemski (illness) are all listed as questionable.
The Cavaliers have yet to officially release their injury report, but they are hoping to have Dean Wade back in the mix. Wade has missed the past two games because of an illness.
Cleveland beat Golden State in both of the teams’ meetings last season.
