CLEVELAND — The Cleveland Cavaliers were not players at the NBA trade deadline, standing pat with a roster of guys they're more than happy with as the team sits second in the Eastern Conference standings on a seven-game win streak.
Cleveland has won 15 of their last 16 games, on a red-hot streak that has showcased a staggered rotation with a high-powered offense as the Cavs have figured out ways to win through injuries.
After losing big man Evan Mobley and Darius Garland for several weeks as they dealt with a knee and jaw injury respectively, the Cavs' success this season seemed to hang in the balance. But across the roster, the Cavs stepped up. From All-Star guard Donovan Mitchell down to surprise sharp-shooter Sam Merrill, depth became a non-issue and the Cavs found success along the way.
Now that Mobley and Garland are back in the mix, head coach J.B. Bickerstaff has worked them back seamlessly, staggering their time on the court with rotations that have worked well, allowing the Cavs to continue what has been working.
With that said, the Cavs have been happy with their roster and heading into the trade deadline felt confident in their team as-is. President of Basketball Operations Koby Altman opted not to make any moves on Thursday by the 3 p.m. deadline.
"I think we're in good shape. I don't think anybody in the locker room is thinking about it. Like I said, the fact that I don't think we've ever talked about it outside of other teams, I think that just speaks volumes to what we got going on here," Mitchell said Wednesday. "I think we're in good shape. I think we all think that and feel that and we have a lot to accomplish with this group so I think we're excited about that."
The Cavs will look to show off just why they stood pat at the deadline while looking to extend their seven-game win streak Thursday night in Brooklyn as they take on the Nets. Tip-off is at 7:30 p.m.
