The 2025-26 NBA season tipped off in style on Tuesday night, with the Oklahoma City Thunder edging out the Houston Rockets 125-124 in double overtime and the Golden State Warriors defeating the Los Angeles Lakers 119-109.
On Wednesday, the rest of the league will take the floor, and one team in particular caught the attention of NBA superstar LeBron James during the latest episode of his “Mind the Game” podcast — a team he believes is under the most pressure to deliver this season.
James highlighted the Cleveland Cavaliers, who entered last year’s Eastern Conference playoffs as the No. 1 seed before being upset in the second round by the Indiana Pacers.
“You think about Cleveland with Allen and Mobley… they have to be able to complement one another,” James said. Steve Nash then added: “That one’s under a little pressure this year.”
James agreed, concluding: “I think they’re under the most pressure of any team coming into the season.”
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Cavaliers fans, however, didn’t all agree with James’ statement at all.
“Yeah right lol. The Lakers are that team not us. They get a full start with Luka. The new franchise player and LeBron trying to prove Father Time wrong yet again,” a fan said.
Someone else added: “Someone has been around too long.”
Another person wrote: “He tries to play so many mind games. Go worry about your own.”
“Worry about the Lakers buddy,” one more fan commented.
While some may disagree with James’ assessment, there’s no denying it’s a pivotal year for a Cavaliers team that is finally fully healthy in an Eastern Conference that’s anything but.
The Boston Celtics will be without Jayson Tatum for the foreseeable future, and Tyrese Haliburton has essentially been ruled out for the remainder of the season for the Indiana Pacers.
If there were ever a year for Cleveland to capitalize and make a run to the NBA Finals, this would be it. The primary obstacle standing in their way, at least in the eyes of many, is the New York Knicks. Other emerging teams to keep an eye on include the Orlando Magic and the Detroit Pistons.
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