Sedale Threatt wrote:Cleveland is very solid, but lacks another clear-cut star. L.A. is the exact opposite in that we're top-heavy but really drop off after the Artest and Odom.
I was singing the underrated praise last year -- in fact, I thought they were the Chicago Bulls without Scottie Pippen -- until the Cavs flamed out against the playoffs. As such, I think there's a reason they don't get the attention they might.
They're a very, very good team, with a great shot at winning a championship, but they won't be truly great until they get LeBron a wing man.
I'm not sure if he needs a Scottie Pippen (I know you don't mean Scottie Pippen per se, I'm just not sure if he even needs a player close to that caliber) to win it all, but he definitely needs another piece. With Boston as beat up as they are and with Orlando not having the same chemistry as last year, they've gotta be the favorites in the east, but the Lakers are just too stacked to overcome. If Kobe isn't healthy, then things change, but I think Kobe will be fine by the time the playoffs start.
The Cavs have a solid team. Their issue last year was that nobody but Lebron was stepping up. I think Shaq is experienced enough to not choke come playoff time and will give Lebron a guy he can count on. We'll see if Mo Williams reverts back to being a choker once the heat is turned up. If Lebron can just get a guy who will make shots when he is supposed to, I think the Cavs can beat the Lakers, I'm just not sure if they have that guy right now.