How Good would the 80s/90s Cavs Been no injuries + Harper
Posted: Mon Dec 8, 2008 12:48 am
In the late eightes we had one of the most talented teams in basketball with an all star caliber player at every position except SF. Then we got hit by the double whammy of trading Ron Harper for a busted draft pick and recurring injures to Price and Daughtery. How good could we have been if everything went right, we kept Harper and injures were not a problem?
The fact was we never saw Price and Daughtery's true peak as they kept getting hit by injures before they reached their peaks. Price's game was flawless, he was fast and quick, his jumper was one of the best ever in the history of basketball, and his decision-making impeccable. Daughtery was a little soft on defense but was a consummate 20/10 big man whose baby hook was virtually unguardable. Nance was getting old but he was still very good.
After we traded Harper we had terrible starters at the swing positions, guys like Craig Ehlo and Mike Sanders who were really hampered us in every game we played. We lacked a good slasher, backcourt defender and athletic scorer that Ron Harper was.
If all of the pieces had stayed together I think we could have been a perennial 55-60 win team. But we'd probably be like the Mavs and Suns of the last 5 years, great in the regular season but not good enough defense to win the title. Thoughts?
The fact was we never saw Price and Daughtery's true peak as they kept getting hit by injures before they reached their peaks. Price's game was flawless, he was fast and quick, his jumper was one of the best ever in the history of basketball, and his decision-making impeccable. Daughtery was a little soft on defense but was a consummate 20/10 big man whose baby hook was virtually unguardable. Nance was getting old but he was still very good.
After we traded Harper we had terrible starters at the swing positions, guys like Craig Ehlo and Mike Sanders who were really hampered us in every game we played. We lacked a good slasher, backcourt defender and athletic scorer that Ron Harper was.
If all of the pieces had stayed together I think we could have been a perennial 55-60 win team. But we'd probably be like the Mavs and Suns of the last 5 years, great in the regular season but not good enough defense to win the title. Thoughts?