As the Cavaliers extended their home record to 10-0 and improved their strong season start to 17-1, one fan’s voice stood out from the crowd, clearly heard throughout the lower section of Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse.
“M-V-P! M-V-P!” the fan chanted.
On the court, Donovan Mitchell heard it, but it wasn’t directed at him, the five-time All-Star, but at a teammate who was shooting free throws.
Later, Ty Jerome wanted proof that it happened. “Did you get it on video?” the backup guard asked.
Cleveland’s surprising success has also led to the rise of an unexpected star: Ty Jerome.
After spending most of last season sidelined with a serious ankle injury that required surgery, Jerome has become an important part of first-year coach Kenny Atkinson’s team, representing the Cavs’ early-season achievements.
This wasn’t something the Cavs expected, and it certainly wasn’t something Jerome expected either.
“He’s in this zone,” Atkinson said about the 27-year-old Jerome, who’s already played for his fourth NBA team. “It’s phenomenal.”
Jerome has been playing well all season, but he’s taken his performance to another level recently.
The day after the Cavs lost to Boston, ending a 15-game win streak, Jerome made seven 3-pointers in the first half, including two long-range shots near the halfcourt logo similar to Steph Curry’s style, and finished with a career-high 29 points in a win over New Orleans.
Then, on Sunday, he matched Mitchell, his longtime friend and childhood teammate from New York, by scoring 26 points and adding six assists as the Cavs beat Toronto.
This impressive performance even got an MVP chant from a fan, a chant that had previously been reserved for popular Cavs reserve Cedi Osman.
Jerome has been impressive since the start of training camp, when he first made an impact on Atkinson that has only grown stronger.
“Since the moment he stepped in our gym,” Atkinson said when asked when he knew Jerome would be a key player this season. “He’s been phenomenal every day. I mean, (general manager) Koby (Altman) jokes about MVP of August, September, October. We’re all expecting, not expecting, but when is it going to start dipping?
“OK, it’s open gym. OK, it’s training camp. OK, first five games. He just keeps going and it’s a real, real credit to him. He’s just in a state of grace right now. It’s beautiful to watch.”
The same could be said for the Cavs, whose fast start under Atkinson has been one of the best stories of the season. The 57-year-old Atkinson, an energetic coach from Long Island, has transformed Cleveland into an offensive powerhouse.
The Cavs lead the league in almost every key statistical category — points, field-goal percentage, 3-point percentage, point differential, and offensive rating. Their system, based on quick pace, ball movement, and solid fundamentals, is tough for opponents to defend.
“A chaotic environment with standard principles,” Atkinson said.
Atkinson is getting the best out of the Cavs’ core players — Mitchell, Darius Garland, Evan Mobley, and Jarrett Allen — while also developing his bench, an area where the team struggled under previous coach J.B. Bickerstaff.
Jerome, who was part of Virginia’s national championship team in 2019, offers Atkinson a versatile player who can contribute on both ends of the floor. He has come off the bench to score points or provide key assists, and Atkinson has used him defensively to pressure opposing point guards.
“It’s hard to take him out of the game,” Atkinson said. “He’s in every conversation at all times. ‘Do we need Ty in there?’ He’s playing phenomenally.”
Mitchell, who has known Jerome for years, isn’t surprised by his success. They played together on a youth basketball team in New York that was coached by Jerome’s father.
“His dad used to cuss us out at 8 years old,” Mitchell said with a smile. “I tell people all the time that I don’t like positive reinforcement. I think it’s just PTSD from my AAU days with his pops. Getting chewed out at 9 a.m. definitely is something that you don’t forget.”
Mitchell also finds it funny that Jerome’s comeback is getting so much attention.
“Y’all be saying that like he died and came back to life,” Mitchell said. “For him to come back, not only be a solid player, but be dominant, be a special player for us, it kind of gives us life. He’s just done so much for us on a nightly basis, and I have no doubt he’ll continue to keep this up.”
The Cavs may eventually cool off, but what started as a season where they were seen as contenders has turned into something more.
“17-1,” Atkinson said Sunday, reminded of his team’s record. “It’s like, wow. I’ve been in this league 17 years and it just doesn’t happen. You should have six, seven losses. You could be .500 at this point. Even in a game like tonight, you lose these games.
“We’re not exactly on top of our game and we still come up with a ‘W.’ It’s pretty shocking where we are, and that’s not to disparage anybody. It’s more about how hard this league is to do that.”
