All signs point to Cavs having special culture this season: ‘They enjoy making fun of each other’

It can take more than simply having talented players to be a great team in the NBA. Some of the very best teams often have both skilled players and a special culture.

Cleveland Cavaliers head coach Kenny Atkinson suggested that players up and down the 2024-25 Cavs roster have a penchant for poking fun at one another, and Atkinson sees that as a sign that he is leading a tight-knit group. Cleveland has a squad that loves to lean on humor.

“They enjoy making fun of each other, which is usually what a good locker room does,” Atkinson said.

Atkinson cited Cavs forward Georges Niang and guard Darius Garland as the two funniest players on Cleveland’s roster. Niang implied that the lightheartedness that exists among the Cavaliers makes his job easier.

“If you can laugh at yourself and poke fun at each other, everything is just easier,” Niang told the Akron Beacon Journal. “It’s lighthearted. Everybody can kind of get some s— off their chest, talk a little smack, troll a little bit, and then you can do that and put that behind you so that there’s no pent-up, passive-aggressive energy. I don’t think that helps anybody, especially in sports.”

Niang shared that Atkinson does plenty of joking himself as well.

“He talks the most s—,” Niang said. “He’s great. That’s what makes him, him, and I think that allows for us to grow because he can be serious with you and then kind of put his arm around you and joke. So he’s awesome.”

Niang also shared that he has been in locker rooms where it isn’t easy to joke around, something that can make it tough to build relationships. It doesn’t seem like Cleveland has that problem whatsoever.

To sweeten the deal, the culture that the Cavaliers have developed has translated into a whole lot of collective success for the squad. Cleveland has just four losses since the beginning of the campaign, and it’s on the heels of an impressive victory over the Philadelphia 76ers on Saturday.

Niang had quite the productive game off the pine for the Cavaliers in their 27-point victory over Tyrese Maxey and company. He totaled 13 points, five rebounds and a pair of assists. Additionally, he shot 5-of-9 from the floor and 3-of-5 from 3-point range.

The 31-year-old has seemingly come into his own as of late after a sluggish start to the campaign. In the month of December, he’s been one of the better players for a Cavaliers bench that is among the deepest in the league.

The Cavaliers have been able to rely on him to frequently score double digits in points since the start of the month, as he’s done so in six of nine games. He’s scoring 10.6 points per game so far in December while shooting 51.5 percent from deep.

Niang has been an important piece for the Cavaliers on and off the court this season, and he’ll attempt to have another standout game off the bench when Cleveland plays the Utah Jazz on Monday.

That upcoming game stands out as one that Niang and the Cavaliers should win, as Utah currently finds itself near the very bottom of the Western Conference standings at 7-20. The Jazz also own a record of 3-7 over their last 10 games.