Just a few games shy of the season's midway point, the Cleveland Cavaliers have the NBA's best record at 39-5, and are six games ahead of the defending champion Boston Celtics for first place in the Eastern Conference. The Cavaliers are currently on pace to win 72 games—one win shy of the 2015-16 Golden State Warriors' league record, and well ahead of the LeBron James-led 2008-09 Cleveland team, which finished with 66 wins.
James would play one more season with the Cavaliers, leaving for the Miami Heat ahead of the 2010-11 season before returning to lead the franchise to four consecutive NBA Finals appearances and a championship in 2016. He ultimately departed once again, this time for the Los Angeles Lakers in 2018, but the Akron, Ohio native remains supportive of Cleveland-area teams including the Cavaliers.
