Before the 2025–26 season began, the Cleveland Cavaliers were one of the most talked about teams in the NBA. They had just won 64 games the year before. Expectations were high. Many believed they could challenge the New York Knicks for the top spot in the East.
So far, things have not gone as planned. Cleveland has struggled to stay consistent. Losing streaks slowed them down. At times, they did not look like the same team everyone feared.
Lately, though, something has shifted.
Even though the Cavaliers took a tough loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder earlier in the week, their recent play has been encouraging. The effort looks better. The rhythm looks better. The confidence is starting to return.
That showed clearly on Friday night.
Cleveland beat the Sacramento Kings 123–118. Evan Mobley was the center of everything. He controlled the game on both ends of the floor. He scored 29 points. He grabbed 13 rebounds. He handed out 7 assists. He blocked 4 shots.
It was one of his most complete performances of the season.
Mobley did more than just fill up the box score. He lifted the entire team. His defense set the tone. His scoring came when the Cavaliers needed it most. His passing opened things up for everyone else.
As the reigning Defensive Player of the Year, Mobley is expected to protect the rim. On this night, he did much more than that. He looked confident. He looked aggressive. He looked in control.
The rest of the team fed off that energy.
Mobley believes the Cavaliers are trending in the right direction. He feels the improvement from game to game. And he sees the team getting healthier as the season goes on.
After the win, he said they are getting better every night. He said they just need to keep playing their style of basketball. He also said he feels himself improving.
That mindset matters.
If Cleveland can keep playing at this level, they should be in a much stronger position by the time the playoffs arrive. After Friday’s win, the Cavaliers moved up to the fifth seed. That alone shows progress.
They may not be where people expected them to be yet.