Cleveland Cavaliers achieve historic NBA feat without LeBron James for the first time

The Cleveland Cavaliers have been the best team in the NBA for the majority of the season, although their recent 5-5 run has seen the OKC Thunder achieve a better record. The Cavs just won their 60th game of the season on Sunday night, though, for only the third time in franchise history.

This is a historic achievement for an NBA franchise that has struggled seriously in different eras, and it's significant for another reason. This is the first time the Cavs have won 60 games without having LeBron James on the roster.

The best regular-season record the Cavaliers have gotten to without LeBron is 57-25 in 1988-89, led by Brad Daugherty, Mark Price, and Ron Harper among others. The 2024-25 roster has surpassed that legendary Cavs roster, with Donovan Mitchell leading the way.

The two best records in the team's history came in back-to-back years as well. The team has a 66-16 record in 2008-09, and then a 61-21 record the season immediately after. These were the last two seasons of LeBron James' first stint with the Cavs, and it shows just how integral he is to the history of the franchise.

If the Cavs can end the regular season on a 7-game winning streak, this roster still has the chance to post the best record the team has ever gotten to as well.

The big test will come in the playoffs, though. Finishing as the 1st seed is impressive, but it means nothing without playoff success. If they can bring a championship to Cleveland without LeBron James being involved, that will be massive for the legacy of these current stars.

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