The Cavaliers’ perfect start is one of the best in the NBA

by Junna Base November 14, 2024

No pressure, it’s just perfection.

The Cleveland Cavaliers have achieved a perfect 12-0 mark this season under new coach Kenny Atkinson, becoming the eighth team in NBA history to win their first 12 games of the season. The Cavaliers are the highest-rated offensive team (121.3) and the most accurate 3-point shooting team in the NBA (41.3%). Cleveland ranks second in point differential (12), behind only the Oklahoma City Thunder (12.2).

Still, the Cavaliers are far from off to the most productive start in the NBA, with five teams still ahead of them. The good news for Cleveland is that of the seven previous teams that won their first 12 games to start a regular season, five have reached the NBA Finals.

Here’s everything you need to know about the best starts in NBA history.

What is the record for best start in NBA history?

The 2015–16 Golden State Warriors, the team that later set the record for most regular season wins in a single season (73), also set the record for the best start to a season in NBA history.

The Warriors opened their season 24-0 before suffering their first loss of the season on December 12th against the Bucks. This shattered the previous NBA record for best start to a season, when the Houston Rockets went 15-0 in 1993-94.

Interestingly, it wasn’t coach Steve Kerr who led the team to this remarkable start. Kerr underwent back surgery and was sidelined for the first 43 games of the season. Assistant coach Luke Walton served as interim coach and led Golden State to a 24-0 start and eventually led the team to a 39-4 mark before Kerr returned.

The 2015-16 Warriors lost to the Cavaliers in seven games in the NBA Finals.