Why the double-OT loss in Chicago was noteworthy for the Cavaliers

The Cleveland Cavaliers have been in a bit of a funk since the All-Star break.

After getting a win in Detroit Friday night, they’re 3-3 since play resumed, which isn’t bad. But the Cavs set the bar high after a torrid stretch in which they were 18-3 from Jan. 1 up to the All-Star break.

They’ve also set the bar high in overtime play over the past few seasons.

The Cavaliers’ Feb. 28 double-overtime loss in Chicago snapped their 11-game overtime winning streak. With that mark, Cleveland had been tied for the second-longest OT winning streak in NBA history.

New Orleans holds the NBA record with 13 straight overtime victories from 2006-2008.

The Cavs got their 11th consecutive overtime win on Dec. 18, against the Rockets. In that one, Donovan Mitchell had 37 points and Sam Merrill had 19 off the bench, including five points in OT.

The Cavs were 7-0 in overtime last season, and 2-0 during the 2021-2022 season, when the streak started. Even before that, the Cavaliers had been excelling in the extra session, posting 4-1 and 3-1 overtime records, respectively, in the previous two seasons.

Put another way: With the Feb. 28 loss in Chicago, the Cavaliers are 18-3 in overtime since the 2019-2020 season.

That’s a cool stat that overlaps with most of J.B. Bickerstaff’s tenure as head coach. The Cavs promoted Bickerstaff to the position in February 2020 after John Beilein resigned.