Cleveland is the team to beat in the East

DowJones · Post #1 » by **DowJones** » Sat Feb 23, 2008 5:09 am

Hear me out...

I think that Detroit and Boston are both regular season teams. They both will have better records, primarily because they have better overall talent and Cleveland's offensive coaching is not good enough to give them easy wins. However I have noticed that Cleveland plays very good playoff basketball. Just look at what they have been able to do the last 2 years, especially against the Detroit Pistons. I think that is because in a 7 game series, Cleveland is able to get down and play gritty defense and rebound very well. Don't tell me that Detroit lost focus because that stuff doesn't go down in a best of 7 series, especially 2 years in a row.

Now looking at this year, I think Cleveland has a much better supporting cast. Matter of fact, this is easily the best supporting cast that LeBron has had. Cleveland now has FOUR honest 3-point shooters to put around LeBron. West and Wally will really help Cleveland's offense. West gives Cleveland a combo-guard that can actually hit an open jumper, and that is something that Larry Hughes could not do. Wally is a guy that can come off the bench and average 14ppg and provide some dead-eye 3-point shooting. Those are 2 things that this team SORELY lacked before the deal.

Cleveland also got a much needed 4th big man in Joe Smith. Smith is having a pretty good season and his game is similar to Drew Gooden except Smith is more consistent. With the injury to Varejao, Cleveland was using Dwayne Jones (who?) during regular minutes. Ben Wallace is Ben Wallace. You have no idea what you will get from him. I do think he will be more motivated, which means better defensive energy and better rebounding output. Even if he boosts his numbers by 2 points and 3 rebounds per game, that still would put him at 7 and 12 per game. Cleveland doesn't need him to score, and with their depth they don't need him to play a bunch of minutes. Cleveland doesn't even need Ben Wallace to rebound 15-20 times per game. What they need him to do is play good defense and give Cleveland that shot-blocking threat that they never have had.

Now I haven't even mentioned James. I think LeBron is just playing amazing basketball. This is as good of an individual effort as I have ever seen during the course of a year. You are talking about a guy who averages 31-9-8. That is damn near a triple-double while still putting up 31 a game. Check the history books...how many players have had numbers like that? What is even more impressive is how he has started to take games over in the 4th quarter. He is cold-blooded in the final quarter. In a best of 7 series, a player like James can take it upon him self to win a few games.

The bottom line is that Cleveland will be really tough to beat in a best of 7 series. They can rebound very well and with Ben Wallace they will be tough on defense. Now they have outside shooters to compliment LeBron James. I also don't think anyone in the East has a single defender like Bruce Bowen or Ron Artest to contain LeBron. That will be a HUGE problem for Boston. Paul Pierce is an ok defender but he can't come close to checking LeBron. Prince for Detroit can do a better job, but after last year I think it is clear that LeBron can abuse him on a nightly basis.

NetsForce · Post #2 » by **NetsForce** » Sat Feb 23, 2008 5:11 am

I completely agree the Cavs are currently the fourth best team in the East, they're probably the third best playoff team though.

Mateen Cleaves · Post #3 » by **Mateen Cleaves** » Sat Feb 23, 2008 5:14 am

pistons>>>>>cavs
celtics>>>>cavs
magic>cavs

MT1983 · Post #4 » by **MT1983** » Sat Feb 23, 2008 5:16 am

dabadestalbo69 wrote:pistons>>>>>cavs
celtics>>>>cavs
magic>cavs

How can you say Pistons >>>>> Cavs after last year?

AgEnT50 · Post #5 » by **AgEnT50** » Sat Feb 23, 2008 5:16 am

dabadestalbo69 wrote:pistons>>>>>cavs
celtics>>>>cavs
magic>cavs

x2. . .except i don't think the PISTONS are that much better than the CAVS...since the CAVS beat them last yr

Jemini80 · Post #6 » by **Jemini80** » Sat Feb 23, 2008 5:20 am

rodney stuckey is better than any addition the Cavs have made.

Detroit destroys the Cavs if they meet this year in the playoffs.

Dtown84 · Post #7 » by **Dtown84** » Sat Feb 23, 2008 5:21 am

Pistons have a bench this year, not that it matters at the moment since if everything holds right now the Cavs would be in the Celtics bracket.

I could see the Cavs maybe upsetting either the Celtics or the Pistons, but both back to back (barring upset by the Magic)? Hell no.

prekazi · Post #8 » by **prekazi** » Sat Feb 23, 2008 5:22 am

It'll be fun to watch Cavs and LeBron proving the RealGM'ers wrong once again.

1st Round vs Toronto, RealGM'ers will predict 4-2 Toronto, Cavs will win 4-1

Semi's vs Detroit, RealGm'ers will predict 4-1 Pistons, Cavs will win 4-3

ECF Finals vs Boston, RealGM'ers will predict 4-1 Celtics, Cavs will win 4-3.

loveslakers126 · Post #9 » by **loveslakers126** » Sat Feb 23, 2008 5:25 am

After a 1 Point win at home against a Wizard team with out Arenas and Butler talk about dominance :crazy:

Dtown84 · Post #10 » by **Dtown84** » Sat Feb 23, 2008 5:27 am

prekazi wrote:It'll be fun to watch Cavs and LeBron proving the RealGM'ers wrong once again.

1st Round vs Toronto, RealGM'ers will predict 4-2 Toronto, Cavs will win 4-1

Semi's vs Detroit, RealGm'ers will predict 4-1 Pistons, Cavs will win 4-3

ECF Finals vs Boston, RealGM'ers will predict 4-1 Celtics, Cavs will win 4-3.

You do know that winning back to back game 7's on the road, has never been done ever right? Just giving you some perspective. Winning back to back series without home court against teams of that caliber, just isn't cards usually.

Edit: On the road.

Post #11 » by **CBS7** » Sat Feb 23, 2008 5:27 am

prekazi wrote:It'll be fun to watch Cavs and LeBron proving the RealGM'ers wrong once again.

1st Round vs Toronto, RealGM'ers will predict 4-2 Toronto, Cavs will win 4-1

Semi's vs Detroit, RealGm'ers will predict 4-1 Pistons, Cavs will win 4-3

ECF Finals vs Boston, RealGM'ers will predict 4-1 Celtics, Cavs will win 4-3.

Then get swept in the finals?

Wade2k6 · Post #12 » by **Wade2k6** » Sat Feb 23, 2008 5:27 am

Celtics and Pistons are both still clearly better then the Cavs. Can the Cavs beat them in a series, maybe, but both the Celtics and Pistons would be expected to win.

Anything can happen. The Pistons were better last year then the Cavs but the Cavs had the best player on the floor throughout the series and he basically put them over the top. The Pistons and Cavs both got better from last years playoffs, and so did the Celtics.

Celtics, Pistons>Cavs

LiquidFire · Post #13 » by **LiquidFire** » Sat Feb 23, 2008 5:27 am

loveslakers126 wrote:After a 1 Point win at home against a Wizard team with out Arenas and Butler talk about dominance

did you even see the game? we didnt even have enough players to play the damn game. we signed 2 nbdl players to 10 day contracts just to play the game, or else we would forfit. seriously, i cant believe they won tonight

Jemini80 · Post #14 » by **Jemini80** » Sat Feb 23, 2008 5:32 am

who the hell is predicting the Craptors getting out of the first round, besides their fans? That team is softer than a duvet cover, Bosh puts up empty stats, and is 2 to 3 years from being exposed as a SAR or Zach Randolph. If they had taken Aldridge, Gay, or Roy instead of Bargs, then sure they might beat someone in the first round, but they have no chance. The only very good player on that team is Calderon. Bosh might be the most overrated player in the league, all he can do is score, and is soft.

Lebron would average 60 ppg against them.

Iggyemu · Post #15 » by **Iggyemu** » Sat Feb 23, 2008 5:36 am

And I thought that Rocket fan overreacted.

Cevap · Post #16 » by **Cevap** » Sat Feb 23, 2008 5:39 am

I'm not worried about Detroit. i think they still have nightmares from lebron's 28 of 30 last year. We'll win again

Boston is not bad i guess, but KG is a loser and LeBron always plays motivated against Pierce.

When you have the best player in the series you always have a good chance. I hope we get the third seed and play Wizards~>Pistons~>Celtics.

DowJones · Post #17 » by **DowJones** » Sat Feb 23, 2008 5:46 am

I don't understand why Detroit is viewed as being so much better than Cleveland. The two teams have played 13 playoff games over the last 2 years and Cleveland leads 7-6. 13 playoff games will tell you where you are at because BOTH teams are playing hard and BOTH teams know each other like the back of their hand. What has changed during those 2 years that makes Detroit much better? Cleveland has certainly improved, but the same can not be said for Detroit.

I think a Cleveland-Detroit series would be a war. Regardless of what their fans say, they know that Cleveland would give them everything they wanted and then some.

AgEnT50 · Post #18 » by **AgEnT50** » Sat Feb 23, 2008 5:53 am

Jemini80 wrote:who the hell is predicting the Craptors getting out of the first round, besides their fans? That team is softer than a duvet cover, Bosh puts up empty stats, and is 2 to 3 years from being exposed as a SAR or Zach Randolph. If they had taken Aldridge, Gay, or Roy instead of Bargs, then sure they might beat someone in the first round, but they have no chance. The only very good player on that team is Calderon. Bosh might be the most overrated player in the league, all he can do is score, and is soft.

Lebron would average 60 ppg against them.

ljp24 · Post #19 » by **ljp24** » Sat Feb 23, 2008 5:54 am

lol @ all the Cavs fans on the board jumping on the wagon in 2003.

That Nicka · Post #20 » by **That Nicka** » Sat Feb 23, 2008 6:24 am

LOL @ Pistons fans underrating the Cavs after last year