CLEVELAND, Ohio — On Thursday, hours after their latest disappointing loss that exposed some glaring flaws, the Cavs gathered at Cleveland Clinic Courts for the usual off-day activities — film, treatment and individual work.

Only there was a slight departure from the norm.

Multiple sources tell cleveland.com that the team, losers of four of the last five and with an unimpressive 13-10 record at the time, held a meeting.

The motivation behind it: playing with joy again.

Over the last few weeks, as losses piled up, adversity hit and the mood in Cleveland rapidly changed, Cavs coach Kenny Atkinson noticed slumped shoulders and iffy body language. It became even more apparent during film breakdowns.

“There’s joy in competition,” Atkinson said Friday night, prior to the Cavaliers’ 130-117 win over the San Antonio Spurs. “We all play different sports and if you’re not playing well and losing, you’re not exactly laughing and having a ball. I want our guys to be authentic. It’s OK to be frustrated. It’s OK to have a frown. It’s OK to say, ‘Darn it.’ As long as you don’t affect your teammates, that’s part of it. You want to get back to that place of joy, and I think part of that process of improvement is dealing with frustration.”

Atkinson didn’t have to worry about that Friday night.

Even after a lousy first half in which the Cavs surrendered 72 points, trailed for all but 40 seconds and were down eight at the break, Atkinson didn’t stomp into the locker room, throwing a tantrum — or a sandal, something he did last season. There was no passionate speech. Just a brief discussion about playing better followed by a couple points of emphasis and tactical adjustments — Dean Wade moving into the third quarter starting lineup and an altered defensive approach (sending the ball toward the screen instead of away).

Most importantly, following through on what they discussed on the off day.

“I don’t think much changed,” swingman Jaylon Tyson said. “I think we just came out and had fun. I feel like that third quarter we had fun. Once we had fun, we just win basketball games. That’s Cavs basketball.”

The result: A second-half turnaround in which the Cavs outscored rattled San Antonio, 66-45, over those 24 minutes.

“I think our spirit was there the whole game,” Donovan Mitchell said. “I just think it’s not always going to be perfect, right? You’re not always going to come up just because you have spirit and energy. We come in at halftime and we figure it out. We did our thing in the third quarter.”

What looked like another demoralizing defeat became one of Cleveland’s best — and most complete — halves of the season. It resulted in a much-needed, feel-good victory that had the music blaring and jokes cracking in the locker room afterward.

“There’s going to be ups and downs, there’s going to be adversity,” Tyson explained. “But when you play free, when you play basketball, when you play [with] that love for your teammates, for the game, it makes everything easier. I think we just need to be over joyful. That’s how I would put it. When we’re together, super happy, laughing, having fun, obviously, we’re serious about our craft, but being that team that’s connected, I feel like that’s when we’re at our best.”

As Tyson said during a separate on-court interview, one win doesn’t mean all of Cleveland’s problems are solved. There is still plenty to correct — a never-ending quest for perfection.

The Cavs are waiting to be at full strength, playing Friday night without six players — Darius Garland (injury toe management), Sam Merrill (right hand sprain), Jarrett Allen (strained finger), Max Strus (foot surgery), Tyrese Proctor (personal) and Larry Nance Jr. (calf strain). They are learning how to be the hunted, how to manage the spotlight, pressure and expectations that come with being an NBA title favorite instead of the plucky, overlooked upstart. They are adjusting to players being thrust into bigger roles, with ever-changing lineups and rotations. They are still studying how opponents are attacking them and learning the best counters for it.

But in the meantime, Friday night helped reaffirm who the Cavs are — and can be — when they stay true to themselves.

Defense into offense. Contributions across the roster — seven players scoring double figures and nine with at least one assist. Snappy ball movement — 32 helpers, the third-most in any game this season. Attacking the paint — a franchise-record (since tracking began) 80 such points. Toughness on the boards — a 48-38 rebounding advantage. Playing with pace — 24 fastbreak points.

Attention to detail. Communication. Focus. Passion. Hunger. Tenacity. Connectivity.

And then, of course, a secret ingredient that helped fuel a historic 2024-25 regular season: glee.