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Showdowns with the Knicks and more. These are the Cavs games to watch this NBA season
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- Showdowns with the Knicks and more. These are the Cavs games to watch this NBA season
The 2025-26 NBA season will come with heightened expectations for the Cleveland Cavaliers, and with good reason.
They had the second-best record in the league last season, getting hopes up for a championship run that never materialized with the team fizzling out in the second round of the playoffs — once again.
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Still, the team chose to run it back with its core four — Jarrett Allen , Darius Garland , Donovan Mitchell and Evan Mobley — to the chagrin of some fans.
Gone are last year's regular-season phenom Ty Jerome via free agency , Isaac Okoro via trade for Lonzo Ball and they brought back Bath native Larry Nance Jr. Those changes are significant, but not earth shattering, unlike some in the rest of the league.
The Orlando Magic , Atlanta Hawks and Milwaukee Bucks made moves to improve. Other perennial playoff teams, such as the Boston Celtics , made significant moves that didn't necessarily improve their team.
It that regard, it's difficult to predict (big shock) how the season will shake out. But some of those teams will likely be the opponent in some of the best games the Cavs will have this season.
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Based on those moves and personal curiosity, here are the Cavaliers games that possess the potential to be huge matchups.
Former Cleveland Cavaliers coach Mike Brown is now coach of the New York Knicks.
Cavs at Knicks opens NBA season with Cleveland thrown into the fire
New York Knicks (Away): Oct. 22 is the season opener for the Cavs and it will happen on national television. The NBA season is long — some say too long — but this a game that could set the stage for what's to come throughout the season. Well, you can expect more defense given former Cavs coach Mike Brown is the new Knicks coach .
Will the Milwaukee Bucks present challenges for Cavs in the Eastern Conference?
Milwaukee Bucks (Home): This Oct. 26 game will have the Cavs getting the first look at a potential Eastern Conference rival in the new-look Milwaukee Bucks. Gone is Dame Lillard, who suffered an Achilles tear in the 2025 playoffs , and in his place is former Indiana Pacer Myles Turner , who gave the Cavs all sorts of headaches in the second round of the playoffs. And, oh, Giannis Antetokounmpo is still there.
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What will the reconstituted Boston Celtics look like without Jayson Tatum ?
Boston Celtics (Away): This game, set for Oct. 29, is more of a curiosity than anything else. The curiosity comes in seeing what the reconstituted Celtics will look like. Kristaps Porzingis (Atlanta Hawks) and Jrue Holliday ( Portland Trail Blazers ) were traded. Jayson Tatum will still be recovering from his Achilles injury suffered in the playoffs and Jaylen Brown is basically left to shoulder the load.
May 12, 2025; New York, New York, USA; Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum (0) reacts on the court after an injury in the second half during game four of the second round for the 2025 NBA Playoffs against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden. Tatum would leave the game with an injury after this play. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images
Does Kevin Durant 's presence make a difference for the Houston Rockets ?
Houston Rockets (Home): Yet another curiosity because the Rockets fell in the first round of the playoffs and reacted accordingly by seemingly bolstering their lineup by adding former MVP Kevin Durant. This game is set for Nov. 19.
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Merry Christmas in Manhattan; say hello to the Knicks again for a Cavs Christmas Day game
New York Knicks (Away): What? The Knicks again? Well, duh, it's a Christmas Day game. The Cavs last played on Dec. 25 during LeBron James ' last season (2017-18) when they took on the Golden State Warriors .
Scheduling quirk has Cavs taking on the Philadelphia 76ers for two consecutive on the road
Philadelphia 76ers (Away): Let's call this a quirk of scheduling. These two games against the 76ers aren't even a home-and-away set on Jan. 14 and Jan. 16. Both games are at Xfinity Mobile Arena. But they could reveal much about the conference. The 76ers can either be a stinkin' pile or, if Joel Embiid and Paul George are both healthy, they could be a formidable force in the Eastern Conference.
Jalen Williams #8 of the Oklahoma City Thunder shoots over Dean Wade #32 of the Cleveland Cavaliers during the third quarter at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse on January 08, 2025 in Cleveland, Ohio. The Cavaliers defeated the Thunder 129-122. It turned out to be one of the bests games of the NBA's regular season.
The NBA champion Oklahoma City Thunder come to Rocket Arena
Oklahoma City Thunder (Home): Playing the NBA champions on Martin Luther King Jr. Day (Jan. 19) at home on national television as part of a huge day of basketball featuring a quadruple header? Yes, please.
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Does Desmond Bane trade help the Orlando Magic ?
Orlando Magic (Away and Home): These two games on Jan. 24 and Jan. 26, respectively could end up helping to shape the narrative of the first half of the season. The Magic made gangster moves by trading for Desmond Bane , formerly of the Memphis Grizzlies , in order to improve their offense. Post-Christmas should provide those answers, thus setting up this intriguing mini-series.
Oct 30, 2024; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) drives to the basket between Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell (45) and forward Dean Wade (32) during the second half at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images
Another homecoming for LeBron James
Los Angeles Lakers (Home): He's coming home on Jan. 28. Everyone knows LeBron James is the "he" and his return is always reason for celebration at Rocket Arena. This time he's bringing Luka Doncic , who has apparently taken steps to get into shape.
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These two games could tell the Eastern Conference's tale for season
New York Knicks (Home): This Feb. 24 game is the last game of the regular season between the two teams. Fans should have a gauge of how they matchup — if both teams are healthy — as everyone begins to ramp up for the playoffs. Will messages be sent? Maybe.
George M. Thomas covers a myriad of things including sports and pop culture, but mostly sports, he thinks, for the Beacon Journal.
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Cavs schedule highlights include Christmas against Knicks, LeBron
