What's that, you say? They're the only team to lose 25 straight?
OK then, let's rephrase. The Cavaliers are much better than a 25-game losing streak might suggest. They're not a great team, obviously, but they don't deserve to be 8-44 and they don't deserve to be in the record books headlining the worst teams ever.
The Cavs are bad. But this is a whole new level — historically bad — and they don't seem to belong.
The Cavs lost their record-setting 25th consecutive game on Monday night, making their usual allotment of rookie mistakes down the stretch and dropping a close one on the road, 99-96, to the Dallas Mavericks. They took over sole possession of the all-time losing streak record, surpassing — who else?
The Cavaliers, who lost 24 straight contests back in 1982.
Usually a team that loses that many games in a row has absolutely nothing going for it. They've got no talent, no chemistry, terrible coaching, the works. To lose that much, you have to really try.
But if you take a look at the Cavs, they're really not that bad. They have young talent in J.J. Hickson and Daniel Gibson, they have a bunch of solid role players, and they have a veteran leader in Antawn Jamison that can still play a little. He's no LeBron James, but Jamison's a two-time All-Star that can lead a franchise.
The Cavs are also well-coached. Byron Scott has a proven track record for making the most of a bad situation — they Nets were awful when he took over a decade ago, but he got them to the NBA Finals. The Hornets weren't much better, and he made them a No. 2 seed in the West.
So what's gone wrong for the Cavs? The perfect storm of bad luck. They've had injuries — most notably Anderson Varejao, but also Mo Williams, Leon Powe and a series of smaller health problems. They've lost some close games that were perfectly winnable, including Monday in Dallas. And there's that whole LeBron thing, we can't forget.
This is a team trying to start over again from scratch, ever since LeBron's "Decision" last summer. They've got a new coach, a new general manager, new players and a new identity altogether. It takes some time to cultivate that.
But the Cavs are a better team than 25 straight losses, and 44 losses overall, would make you think. They may not win anything this season, but there's hope for them in the future. There really is.
What do you think of the Cavaliers' record-setting losing streak? Share your thoughts below.
