CLEVELAND (AP) — A single voice rose from the bleachers that could be heard across the lower bowl of Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse as the Cavaliers improved their historic start to an eye-popping 17-1 and pushed their home record to 10-0.
M-V-P! M-V-P! The one fan let forth a chant.
Donovan Mitchell looked down on the floor. It was aimed at a teammate who was making free throws, not the five-time All-Star.
Ty Jerome later sought evidence that it had occurred.
Was it captured on camera? The reserve guard inquired.
An unexpected rising star has emerged from Cleveland’s unusual start.
In addition to being a vital member of the Cavaliers’ first-year coaching staff, Jerome has become a symbol of the team’s early-season success after missing all but two games of the previous campaign due to a serious ankle condition that worsened over time and necessitated surgery.
The Cavs and Jerome, in particular, did not anticipate this.
Regarding the 27-year-old Jerome, who is now on his fourth NBA team, Atkinson stated, “He’s in this zone.” It’s amazing.
Although Jerome has been strong from the start this season, he has improved over the past week.
Jerome scored a career-high 29 points in a victory over New Orleans one night after the Cavaliers fell in Boston following 15 consecutive victories. He nailed seven 3-pointers, including two on Steph Curry-style heat checks right inside the halfcourt mark in the first half.
As the Cavaliers defeated Toronto on Sunday, he gave it his all by matching Mitchell, his close buddy and teammate from his boyhood in New York, with 26 points and six assists.
The fan, who previously saved the slightly sarcastic salute for popular Cavs sub Cedi Osman, gave the MVP shout in response to that performance.
Since the start of training camp, when he left an impression on Atkinson that has only gotten stronger, Jerome has been an incredible player.
When asked how long he knew Jerome would be a key contributor this season, Atkinson replied, “Since the day he entered our gym.” He has been amazing every day. In other words, Koby (Altman), the general manager, makes jokes about the MVP of August, September, and October. We’re all anticipating—or not—but when will it begin to dip?
Alright, the gym is open. It’s training camp, all right. All right, the first five games. He simply never stops, and he deserves a great deal of praise for that. At the moment, he is simply in a condition of grace. It’s stunning to observe.
The same could be said about the Cavaliers, whose comeback under Atkinson is among the greatest tales in the game. Atkinson, 57, is a friendly, quick-witted hoops enthusiast from Long Island who has transformed Cleveland into a dominant offensive force.
In almost every statistical measure, including points, 3-point percentage, field-goal %, point difference, and offensive rating, the Cavaliers are the league leaders. It’s a challenging system to defend because it relies on pace, ball movement, and basics.
Atkinson described it as a chaotic setting with standard principles.
Mitchell, Darius Garland, Evan Mobley, and Jarrett Allen are Cleveland’s core four players, and Atkinson is getting the most out of them while also building his bench—something that predecessor J.B. Bickerstaff found difficult to accomplish.
Jerome, who was a member of Virginia’s 2019 national championship squad, provides Atkinson with a versatile player who can play both ends of the court. Atkinson uses him defensively to harass point guards, and he has come off the bench to score baskets or provide a crucial assist.
According to Atkinson, it’s challenging to remove him from the game. He is always present in every discourse. Does Ty have to be in there? He is playing incredibly well.
Mitchell is not taken aback. He and Jerome have a long history together, having played together on a Riverside, New York, Hawks youth team led by Jerome’s father.
Mitchell smiled and continued, “When I was eight years old, his dad used to swear at us.” I frequently express my dislike for positive reinforcement. I believe it’s simply PTSD from my time spent with his dad in AAU. You certainly don’t forget getting chewed out at nine in the morning.
Mitchell finds it amusing that so much attention is being paid to Jerome’s return.
Mitchell responded, “You guys are acting like he died and resurrected.” It kind of gives us life when he returns and not only plays well but also dominates and is a unique player for us. He has done so much for us every night, and I am confident that he will keep doing this.
At some time, the Cavaliers are expected to return to the pack.
However, a season that started with them being seen as a contender has evolved into something more.
17-1 Reminding himself of his team’s record, Atkinson remarked Sunday. It’s like, “Wow.” It simply doesn’t happen, even after 17 years in his league. Six or seven losses should be your goal. You might be.500 now. You lose these games even in games like tonight.
Even if we’re not playing at our best, we still end up with a W. Not to belittle anyone, but it’s rather frightening where we are. It’s more about how difficult that is in this league.
___
https://apnews.com/hub/nba is the AP NBA.
The Associated Press, 2024. All rights reserved. All rights reserved. It is prohibited to publish, broadcast, rewrite, or redistribute this content without authorization.