The Cleveland Cavaliers have made history by becoming the sixth NBA team to start their season with a perfect 14-0 record after defeating the Chicago Bulls 144-126 on Friday.
Joining the ranks of legendary teams such as the 1957-58 Boston Celtics, 2002-03 Dallas Mavericks, 1948-49 Washington Capitols, 1993-94 Houston Rockets, and 2015-16 Golden State Warriors, the Cavs showed their dominance on the court.
Cleveland came out strong, scoring a franchise-record 49 points in the first quarter and shooting an impressive 86% from the field, including 70% from beyond the arc. Darius Garland led the charge with 29 points and nine assists, while Donovan Mitchell contributed a game-high 37 points for the Bulls.
Despite a strong offensive performance from both teams, the Cavs’ defense allowed the Bulls to stay in the game. Chicago managed to cut the lead to 77-73 at halftime, with Nikola Vučević and Coby White leading the charge.
However, Cleveland regained the lead in the third quarter and closed out the game with a 34-16 run in the fourth quarter. The Bulls heavily relied on 3-pointers to mount a comeback, but the Cavs’ resilience proved too much to handle.
This 14-game winning streak is a new franchise record for the Cavs, surpassing their previous 13-game streaks in past seasons. Head coach Kenny Atkinson also set a league record for the longest winning streak by a first-year coach.
Looking ahead, Cleveland will aim to extend their perfect start to the season as they face off against the Charlotte Hornets on Sunday in hopes of joining the elite club of teams that have started 15-0.