Two seasons ago, the Cleveland Cavaliers were 22-50, the third-worst record in the Eastern Conference.
They came into American Airlines Center on Wednesday night with a 17-11 record, third best in the East.
It’s been a rapid and remarkable turnaround in the post-LeBron James era (OK, the second post-LeBron era) in Cleveland.
The Cavs are proof that rebuilding teams can make quick leaps in the right circumstances. Yes, they lost even more games in the two previous seasons before going 22-50. But their front office did a smart job of drafting players like Darius Garland and Evan Mobley.