CLEVELAND, Ohio (WOIO) - The Cavaliers are still feeling the heartache from getting bounced in the second round of the NBA Playoffs against the Pacers. Cavaliers President of Basketball Operations, Koby Altman, said it’s painful to watch playoff basketball right now because he feels the Cavaliers should be competing in the Eastern Conference Finals.
While they had a disappointing end to their season, Altman is also happy with the progress the team is making from season to season.
“We’ve become very good in the regular season — 82 games, we’ve been brilliant,” said Altman. “There’s a 51-win season in there, a 64-win season in there. Last season, there were three All-Stars. Now the next step is: we need to figure out how to win at the highest level.
“This is where we want to live — with the expectation of championships. When we fall short of that, everyone is upset. I want to live in that space. I don’t want to go back to where we were three or four years ago, when we were worried about ping-pong balls, when it was 19, then 22 wins. I love the trajectory we are on.
“Externally, the narrative is going to be the narrative. People are going to write what they are going to write. We have to change that. That’s on us — that’s not on you guys. I don’t need you guys to say, ‘They had the second-best offense. Look at all the stuff they’ve done. 64 wins.’ We have to change that narrative.
“If we had won that Pacers series, there would be no questions about physicality, toughness, or the regular season. We have to live in that space, we have to own that space, and we have to create our own narrative.”
Altman was very passionate when speaking about his hand-crafted team today. He said, “We’re not gonna go anywhere. We’re gonna keep fighting for that championship. The window is wide open, and I love our foundation and our core.”
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