Why are people saying Cleveland is not a contender?

[nybluemeadow]

It's all fun and games to dig this up on Nov 22nd... yuck it up now. It'll be even more fun to look back at this on January 22nd, February 22nd, March 22nd, April 22nd, May 22nd and laugh our (rears) off at all of the Nostradamus' patting themselves on the back after 11 games and pronouncing this team dead.

Does anyone here want to make a bet on the Cavs finishing under .500? If not, then STFU.... because even you know that their record will improve and that in all likelihood they'll be playing in the ECF at a minimum while your team is at home watching and you're complaining about the officials or looking forward to the NBA draft.

Like I said, enjoy it while you can...

Ok sure....... 2014 Cleveland Cavs 5-7, .415

we will see what happens in 7 months

[andrewww]

Funny thing is that they won 2 extremely close games they could've been 3-8 so easily.

With all the crap Lakers had to deal with in 2013, Nash-Gasol injuries, Dwight-Kobe feud, Marc D'Antoni fiasco, that team won 45 games in the West. No reason to believe that Cavs will be this bad for the rest of the season, they'll probably win around 50 games which should be solid for top3 in East.

5-7 is a flattering record.

2 very questionable 'wins' aided by clear bias in officiating to keep the cavs in the game led to 'comebacks' at Chicago and Boston. They should be 3-9 if not for the zebras.

If they were in the west, they wouldn't even be close to making the playoffs. You have teams playing close to .600 ball in 9th and 10th place! (Sactown and New Orleans).

On a side note, this is why the MVP award is flawed. AD is the clear best player thus far this year on both sides of the ball and his team would be a top 4 team in the east, yet he might not get consideration because he's got the misfortune of not only playing in the west, but the toughest division period (Spurs/Grizz/Mavs/Rockets/Pelicans).

[orlandomanic]

Funny thing is that they won 2 extremely close games they could've been 3-8 so easily.

With all the crap Lakers had to deal with in 2013, Nash-Gasol injuries, Dwight-Kobe feud, Marc D'Antoni fiasco, that team won 45 games in the West. No reason to believe that Cavs will be this bad for the rest of the season, they'll probably win around 50 games which should be solid for top3 in East.

5-7 is a flattering record.

2 very questionable 'wins' aided by clear bias in officiating to keep the cavs in the game led to 'comebacks' at Chicago and Boston. They should be 3-9 if not for the zebras.

If they were in the west, they wouldn't even be close to making the playoffs. You have teams playing close to .600 ball in 9th and 10th place! (Sactown and New Orleans).

On a side note, this is why the MVP award is flawed. AD is the clear best player thus far this year on both sides of the ball and his team would be a top 4 team in the east, yet he might not get consideration because he's got the misfortune of not only playing in the west, but the toughest division period (Spurs/Grizz/Mavs/Rockets/Pelicans).

I don't know about that. i think AD could win the unofficial award for most all star votes by all star break.

[Scrapachenko]

BTW I have the Cavs at 17-10 going into the Heat Christmas day game... Anyone here want to take 12-15(roughly what their current win pct would project to) and we can see who is closer on Christmas day?

This thread is my Christmas gift to everyone that was yukking it up when the Cavs were 5-7 in November. They've went 12-3 since and I guess it's good none of the clowns in this thread took me up on my bet in the quoted post from 22 Nov.

[almatic]

Without Anderson Varejao... unless they sign Jermaine O'Neal or a vet big man replacement.. they're not a contender in my eyes.

[thinktellectual]

Do people not realize how good LeBron James is? Or are they just reading too much into his SI statement about it taking a while, I don't understand it. LeBron had to say what he said in his excerpt, not to promise anything and I get that.

But, Wade is a shell of himself and only played 40 some odd games last year. Bosh has become a soft jumpshooter and is the 2014 version of the Joe Johnson contract. Cleveland is better all around the board than Miami. The only thing Cleveland is missing is 3pt shooters which I'm sure they will not have any trouble adding.

Varajao + Thompson > Bosh + UD or Battier
LeBron = LeBron
Irving > Wade

I don't get it. They are easily a contender. Maybe they don't beat the Spurs but I don't see anyone in the East taking them, and if a team other than SA makes the finals it's a coinflip IMO.

This is an old post, but I gotta reply to it.

OP, you obviously don't understand some stuff.
First, a team's value is not the sum of its parts. You don't compare position by position to see who comes out on top.

Second, you (like many others) have no idea how good Bosh really is. You just look at the stats, you don't see 20-10 and just assume he's a role player. You assume he's soft You assume he isn't a good defender cause he doesn't have 2+ bpg.

You couldn't be further from the truth.
None of Varejao or Thompson even approaches Bosh's value.
And neither does Love, for that matter.

[orlandomanic]

Why are people saying Cleveland is not a contender? ........ Because they don't have good players or a good coach.

[gom]

Why are people saying Cleveland is not a contender? ........ Because they don't have good players or a good coach.

Actually Cleveland is a very good team. It will be very different to play them in the postseason.

[EscapoTHB]

It's going to be tough for them to come out of the east without honecourt or playing defense. They have to fix that

[Smirkin Dirk]

Kevin Love needs to be involved more. He looked disinterested today.

He was even beat a few times on the boards.

[TheKingofSting]

They need a rim protector!

[Ballerhogger]

Kevin love needs to eat some potatoes and meat or something.. He needs to become their rim protector . Or i debut they make it out of the 1st round

[Ballerhogger]

playing chicago if the playoffs started today ,would be easy 1st round exit.

[hands11]

Never thought CLE was done building and knew it would take them a little while to setting in. But man, Love isn't looking like a good fit there. Might have been a better show with Wiggins on that team.

They still don't know who they are yet. MIA at this point has a better sense of that then CLE and thats understandable.

I'm enjoying watching the East start to gel. CHI is really starting to come together. Wade is looking pretty freakn good. MIA might have a move left in them. They can still gel. CHA with MKG back can still gel. I called it that they would make a run and so far 4-0 since then. And glad to see Mason Plumlee getting minutes. Still gotta see what BRK might do with their roster.

But right now, CLE is behind the other top 4 teams in the East. Until they get the roster right and figure out how to defend, its going to be up and down for them.

[BR0D1E86]

They need a rim protector!

They need a two rim protectors and a couple 3 point line protectors. They have a lot of really poor defensive players, including 2 of their "big 3".

That said, the early season slow start should have been expected. They're going to be competitive in the playoffs.

[Smirkin Dirk]

They need a rim protector!

Filthy. Let's keep this about basketball; what they do in their own time is their business.

[Smirkin Dirk]

It's a bit like Miami in their first season.

Their depth was rubbish. I thik Bibby started a heap of games for them; Dampier was playing, Joel Anthony.

With these Cavs, Miller's shot has fallen away, Delladova is a 6th guard, Marion is done, Jones is done.

They'll spend the next 2 years building that bench and then they'll be a championship team.

[Boomerfan]

Kevin Love is a loser. He has always been a loser... I was the happiest man in the world when he decided not to come to the Dubs and destroy everything we have.

[Mourning_Would]

It's a bit like Miami in their first season.

Their depth was rubbish. I thik Bibby started a heap of games for them; Dampier was playing, Joel Anthony.

With these Cavs, Miller's shot has fallen away, Delladova is a 6th guard, Marion is done, Jones is done.

They'll spend the next 2 years building that bench and then they'll be a championship team.

Also they don't have that champion mentality and hustle. Love was invisible for the most part and is playing way worse than a 26/12 player should play. His touches went down but his efficiency is weak as well. Also got beat to a couple of boards, and hes supposed to be a transcendent rebounder. Kyrie brings the ball down and shoots without even looking at his teammates let alone pass and start setting up the offense. Waiters takes ridiculous shots. They have talent, but its gonna be a while before they have the depth, championship mentality, and habits to be a true contender. They might sneak into the Finals, but whoever comes out the West will dominate unless they change dramatically and sign a few bigs and back up wings

[BigFatBob]

Cleveland isn't a contender because two of there top players are injury prone and both have zero playoff experience. Why do threads like this continue to be created again?