Was the Cleveland Cavaliers’ 2025/2026 season a SUCCESS or a FAILURE?
Cleveland Cavaliers head coach Kenny Atkinson considers the team’s year to be a success despite a season-ending sweep in the Eastern Conference finals at the hands of the New York Knicks.
“Yes, absolutely. That was the task: take another step,” Atkinson said following Monday’s 130-92 Game 4 loss at home, according to Danny Cunningham of Locked on Cavs. “… We jumped a barrier that we were stuck on.”
The Cavaliers reached the playoffs for a fourth straight year but hadn’t advanced past the second round in that span until defeating the top-seeded Detroit Pistons in Game 7.
Their last victory in the conference finals remains Game 7 in 2018 against the Boston Celtics, when LeBron James scored 35 points to lead the franchise to a fourth straight NBA Finals against the Golden State Warriors, who then won in a sweep.
“I turn it positive, though. We took a step,” Atkinson added, courtesy of Michael Scotto of HoopsHype. “This is kind of how this works. You have to keep climbing. We are going, obviously, in a positive direction. Fell short. There’s no bigger motivator to get to the next level. Think of this offseason and development … the sacrifice we need to make to get to the next level. | https://www.thescore.com/nba/news/3546068
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For me it’s 50/50. Yeah it’s good we finally got too a ECF and we beat a 1 seed but when you really look deep. It was several East teams that wasn’t in the playoffs due to injuries, or underperformed due to injuries and the ECF exposed our players still can’t handle an actual offense. James harden got bullied several times but the worst was against Brunson and we don’t have a player that can lead you to a ring nor a team that’s built like a New York or an OKC with all around good play from starters and the bench
We have the most paid team in the NBA with no rings🤦🏾♂️
These guys are always so hard on the Cavs but treat the Guards with kids gloves.
complete failure
It was a successful failure
no it was not. Yes we got past the second round, but before this season started were we not saying this is the last run with this core basically finals or bust?
I swear i heard all you guys, Mike included, that they had to make the finals or this season is a failure. It was a failure imo.
I agree with Bull not successful at all
Failure
Mikey is delusional 😂
It was neutral. The Cavs sandbagged the entire season and placed low then pretended as though beating the pistons was an accomplishment despite being better than them. They should have been in the ecf with either NYK or Boston to begin with
They won as many games in the ecf as they did last year. When you look at it like that it can’t be a success
There are different levels of success. Bull you don’t have your own show on ESPN are you a failure??
This country teaches us to hate ourselves 😅. He "feels" the season was a success 😅. Hypocrisy 😅. You won TWO game 7's. It wiped you out but this team bust their asses 😅. When I was 10 I recognized the process to win a championship and the Cadaverliers are following it. Mobley is a poser. Get a small forward who can score ONE pt in the last two playoff games maybe 😅. They are not below 😅. They are at their level. Fred Flintstone and Barney Rubble here just WANT TO HATE 😅😂
Once you got swept, this season became an absolute failure
When we said earlier on that making the ECF would be a success that was with the assumption that it would make us a contender. That clearly changed with the way we got trounced by New York why can’t McNuggets understand that. It might actually be the worst ECF appearance ever by a team and McNuggets wants to call it a success
It's the best post LeBron season
So are you going to trade Evan Mobley for one year rental?
If you aint first your last and why do we play to FN win so its a lost unless you win the Chip
Failure 😆 🤣 😂 is this even a fucking question 😆 🤣 😂, they traded a young ( all star) under control pg for for washed up harden
Cavs are the Grand Wagooner of the NBA
Bull is absolutely right.. we traded garland for what?Mike is seriously such a dumb homer and such a dork 😆 🤣 😂 .. the timeline and expectations changed with harden trade
4:04 Donavan said yes and no
If this team were to come back the same…. they have no shot at winning the chip… in fact I'll argue to say they can get knocked out by 2nd round… maybe 1st next year. East gonna be tougher. They just aren't good enough like these other teams that were in the ecf, lost, and then won the ecf the following year. That streak will be broken unless we can get Giannis
Bull is honestly the smartest one in the panel as much as yall clown him. He's been correct all these years about this squad. He has the eye that you cannot teach…. f these stat 🤡 and all
Bull is lying🤣 he for sure said ECF was a must or else this would be a failure season
Bull is right. He said the series had to be competitive for this season to be a success before new years. Mike has the memory of a goldfish.
Talking about zach was on the show that day.. yall talked about the topic multiple times with n without zach
Most expensive roster in he entire league; anything less than a few Finals games wins (2-3) is a complete failure
EDIT: Mikey got COOKED in this segment LMAO
James Harden will bail out from his contract to become a free agent.
Say goodbye to Harden 👋
This is stupid
We were a final 4 team. It's a success.