Cavaliers 2024-'25 Season Reflection

Join author Adison Delp as he revisits the Cavaliers journey to the top of the Eastern Conference, and disappointing early exit in the Conference Semifinals to a longtime rival.

As a Cleveland sports fan, I’m used to it.

The heartbreaking defeat coming off of a promising season is nothing new to me.

This is just the latest edition. Even as the Cavaliers tried to make one last push to come back late in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals against division rival Indiana,

I felt I knew what the final result would be.

Blame it on injuries or poor shooting or whatever excuse you can think of for the top seed in the East, but the truth is Indiana simply outplayed us in almost every facet of the game. Right from the start of Game 1, they were the better team. Indiana played with better pace, more confidence, and executed their uptempo game plan to perfection. They did

not panic when they were handed a tough loss on their home court in Game 3, instead

responding with a historically dominant performance two nights later in front of a rowdy Gainbridge Fieldhouse crowd.

Despite a heartbreaking end to the season when it appeared Cleveland had a chance to go all the way to the Finals for the first time without Lebron James, I still remember the 2024-'25 Cavaliers season with fondness. I have several reasons why this season will always spark joy from my memory bank, but first, take a step back in time with me.

I fell in love with sports from a very young age. My dad started taking me to sporting events

when I was just a couple of years old. In fact, I blame him for my loyal fandom posses for Cleveland sports that has so often ended in misery.

As I grew older, sports became more than just the excitement of a game. A season is more than just a collection of games put together. It is a story. As I grew to love sports more and more, I've come to realize that I enjoy the ups and downs of the season. Plot twists and heroic moments all combine to describe an individual season's journey.

I feel like sports is the only thing where truly anything can happen. Often times books, movies, and other forms of entertainment are predictable and have set endings. Sports have no script or set ending, allowing anyone or any team to prove that they are the best.

The 2024-2025 Cavaliers are a perfect example. This season has provided epic ups, and more recently, tragic downs. Cleveland's season had so many great storylines and chapters, from a 15-0 start to watching Ty Jerome go from a no-name to one of the most dynamic bench performers in the NBA.

The epic moments supplied by this particular Cavs season are ingrained into my memory. This season was full of last-minute, stressful, edge-of-your-seat games, with Cleveland taking home a victory more often than not.

One I specifically remember is this Darius Garland game-winner on February 5th against the Pistons. I was with a friend watching in my dorm room when Cade Cunningham’s free throw tied the game at 115 with 5 seconds left. DG took care of the rest when he drained a buzzer-beating 3-pointer from the logo to close out a courageous win for the Cavaliers.

Garland’s ascension to becoming an All-Star, and Evan Mobley acquiring the title of "Defensive Player of the Year" will stick with me for a long time.

The last and perhaps the most memorable thing about this season to me is the friends I made along the way. One of my favorite things about sports is the way it can bring people together. In a country so divisive, sports are one of the very few things that can galvanize a group of individuals, even if you may have nothing else in common.

When I started my college journey at Wright State University, I was one of the only

students I knew at the school who closely followed the Cavs as I did. But one day a couple of friends decided to watch a game with me and they grew to enjoy watching Cleveland get off to their incredible start.

It was awesome to teach new fans about the history of this team, the players, and the coaches. Eventually, they got so into it, that we watched almost every game together.

This was the first year I had friends who were just as invested in the franchise as I was.

All the epic moments became even more unforgettable and exciting with a collection of friends spending late nights together cheering and yelling at the TV. Shout out to Gabe and Josh, whose first year as Cavs fans was most certainly memorable.

But can the Cavaliers keep our attention in the same capacity next season?

Their 64 wins are the second most in franchise history while showcasing the second-best offensive rating by an NBA team. Ever.

What does the future hold for Cleveland?

Money-wise, there are some questions to be answered. While most of our core players are under contract until at least next year, questions about Ty Jerome’s future are being raised. He is an unrestricted free agent and while the Cavs are said to have interest, if he asks for a high-figure contract the only option may be to let him walk.

Isaac Okoro and Dean Wade’s futures are also up in the air as dropping their salaries could help keep Cleveland’s financial situation manageable. The good thing is the Cavs are a young team and by no means is their championship window closing.

With reigning coach of the year Kenny Atkinson entering his 2nd year with Cleveland, the team should build on a successful foundation and take another step towards becoming a championship-level contender. Though it featured a bitter ending, the playoff experience can only benefit our young players and help them mature for the upcoming 2025-'26 season.

If this team can improve next year and add some depth, we have a shot to be a real problem again next year, and hopefully this time it will carry into the playoffs.

As for now, let's just try and remember the good times this year's team provided - because there were many, and don't lose hope in a more fruitful future.