Two Eastern conference powerhouses are set to face off early in the NBA regular season, and there's plenty on the line.
The news is out. The Philadelphia 76ers will face the Cleveland Cavaliers on October 22. What’s even more interesting is that analysts feel this could be a game to understand where the Cavaliers stand going against this team.
While it’s been said that the 76ers will be a formidable opponent, it’s interesting to see the approach the media is taking when it comes to the 76ers.
Before, it was all about the team. Now it’s about what it will prove for the opposition if they were to best them. Cleveland was the second-best Eastern Conference team, and now it’s a question of whether they're a true problem in the conference. What about Philadelphia?
Why isn’t this about them being battle tested early in the season? This is a new unit playing together, and the main thing we’re discussing here is how the Cavs can attain their higher standing. That’s just being oblivious to what is really in front of them.
The Cavaliers have some chemistry no matter what you say about them. Donovan Mitchell had averaged over 25 points per game since he joined Cleveland in 2022. Meanwhile, the 76ers, who have had up-and-down seasons, are coming in with a reshuffled roster, and it’s being skipped over like a rock bouncing on water.
Philadelphia is going to have their hands full; that’s certain, but what they’ve gained in the lineup is more than enough for it to be about how they can work together to take down a top Eastern Conference team. Cleveland has maintained their status as being a top 5 team in the entire NBA. While Philadelphia has been flirting with the play-in tournament the last two years.
Cleveland having more motivation just because they didn’t land James is preposterous. He’s already played there twice. If anyone is coming into this game with more motivation, it’s the team that doesn’t know what they have as a team.
Or maybe it’s the team everyone is putting immense pressure on to win the whole thing, or the season will be considered a bust. Philadelphia has many questions surrounding the franchise this season, so the motivation to be better is insurmountable. Sure, Cleveland has to find out what they are, but so does Philadelphia. There will be so many people pointing fingers at Philadelphia after this game. Meanwhile, Cleveland can move on to the next game without losing any sleep.
Philadelphia will without a doubt be the one everyone is looking at. So it only makes sense to say they have to be the more motivated team.
