The Cavs played with a purpose rarely seen this early in the season. Every possession had weight, even with a comfortable lead. When Atkinson left the bench with nine minutes left, Cleveland had a 33-point lead. The Cavs’ largest lead in the contest was 36 points. For the entire game, they only trailed by 89 seconds in the first quarter.

“Everyone on our team is dangerous,” said Max Strus after his season debut. “I can’t really leave anyone open and we all have the confidence to shoot it and the confidence in each other to shoot every single shot. You can’t sleep on anyone any night. (These are) the most dangerous teams in the NBA, the ones where anyone from 1 to 15 can have a night to help us win a game. It’s really fun to be a part of it.”

The way the team closed out quarters, fought for loose balls and maintained their defensive principles reflected the intensity of a playoff game, not a mid-December match.

Plays like Caris LeVert’s hustle at the end of the third quarter highlighted the team’s development.

As the clock expired in the third quarter, Caris LeVert drove to the basket for a contested finish at the rim, causing him to fall to the floor, potentially warranting a foul. Instead of complaining about the disregard, LeVert jumped up and pushed back on defense. He didn’t have to go far and stole the Bucks’ inbound pass. As the ball sputtered from his hands, LeVert dove to the ground and threw it to a trailing Mitchell, who fired a 3-pointer, extending the Cavs’ lead to 27 points.

The Cavs haven’t let up there either.

Early in the fourth quarter, a loose ball on defense caused Georges Niang to slam his body onto the hardwood, wrestle it away from a Bucks player and score another 3-pointer from Mitchell. The shot didn’t fall for the five-time All-Star, but Evan Mobley darted over two defenders and grabbed the offensive rebound. Instead of timidly kicking the ball back out of bounds as he might have done in previous seasons, Mobley attacked both defenders with unwavering force, drew a foul and ended the play. The arena exploded and Mitchell let out a primal roar into the sea of ​​Cleveland faithful while Mobley stood at the heart of the paint, emboldened and commanding as if he owned it.

These are the plays that define a team on a mission.

“That’s the spirit of this group,” Atkinson explained. “They are connected and really want to get to the next level. That was a great hint. They play hard.”

It didn’t matter that Doc Rivers and the Bucks had waved the white flag and benched their starters, including Antetokounmpo, throughout the final period. Atkinson didn’t give Milwaukee any breathing room and kept his role players, along with Mitchell and Mobley, on the floor, albeit for just under three minutes in the final frame.

The difference this season isn’t the talent – it’s the drive to be better, sharper and more ruthless.

That attitude comes from a squad that knows how close it was to breaking through last year.

A second-round exit to the eventual champion Boston Celtics left them with unfinished business, and they have returned with an understanding of what it takes to win at the highest level.

The cohesion of a group that returns 13 of 14 players from the previous season, coupled with the leadership of Atkinson and Thompson’s experienced presence, has created a team that doesn’t just talk about high standards – they live them too.

For a fan base that longs for a team that embodies grit and brilliance, Friday night was a taste of what could be. It was a blueprint for what the Cavs want to repeat well into the spring. The habits they demonstrated – disciplined defense, unselfish attack and a relentless desire to outplay the opponent – ​​form the foundation of a championship run.

With the best record in the league and a style that combines joy and ferocity, the Cavs prove that they are more than just competitors – they are a team ready to capture the hearts of their opponents and keep their own firmly intact . The road to a title is a long one, but if the win over a contending Bucks team was any indication, Cleveland is in the driver’s seat, not just along for the ride.