Cavaliers are being UNDERESTIMATED big-time

[old rem]

I think our fans here are split on whether we can push for a playoff spot. I dont believe we can or should for that matter. The sooner we move Jamison and or Mo (if we can get high enough picks) the better. I think most fans here are out of the anger stage but still in denial as to what type of team we have.
Realistically, we have a PF in Andy starting at C, and a 7th or 8th man starting at SF. We have an old starting SG who ideally should be coming off the bench, and 3 tweener guards in Sessions, Boobie, and Mo who will be taken advantage of defensively by bigger SG's often this season.
We have a young improving guy at PF in JJ, who is still learning how to play in this league. He has the physical ability to become a star but has not shown any real consistency as of yet.
In Antawn we have a legit sixth man but sixth men dont win a lot of games by themselves unless they are on a contending team with several other offensive weapons who are out on the floor with them when they play which won be the case here.
It still is a team of role players brought in to complement a player who is no longer here. They have enough talent to be competitive against the mediocre teams in the NBA which there are many, but will struggle against the more talented teams in the league. Making the playoffs, while a longshot imo, would be a nice story but would prolong the rebuild which is necessary to get this team back to where we Cavs fans want to se it.

THIS...is a realistic assesment. AV is a good MAN D PF,not a big time rebounder or shotblocker. Jamison is not getting younger,is a weak link on D but has to play,because otherwise there ain't no scorers. Hickson may be pretty good but is no star. The Backcourt,as a whole is below average.
SERIOUS overachieving and some luck...perhaps that lot can make 8 seed. Even so, it's a rebuild situation where the talent says,probably middle lotto.

[mcfly1204]

I'll say this, it was difficult to judge the talent level of the Cavs last season. I am still a bit confused as to why Gibson did not see more minutes last season. He seems like he has a very good opportunity to break out, like a bigger Mo Williams that can defend a bit.

[INKtastic]

their is a big difference between 7th seed with a bunch of young players and 7th seed with old players like Jamison and Mo.

since when is 28 "old"?

We only have 3 players older than 28
- Jamison, who we will move as an expiring contract next year
- parker, who expires this year
- Moon, who's just 30

[INKtastic]

I don't think people realize how bad the Cavs interior defense is. They won't be able to stop anyone. It will be very hard to win games giving up easy points on a consistent basis.

we allowed just 24 points in the paint tonight.

[Lapinski]

OK, I didn't read all of the ten pages but as a 76er fan, this is what I see. Cleveland will be a better than .500 team and a playoff team.

Varejo, Mo WIlliams, Hickson, Parker and Jamison make up a pretty good starting 5 and nucleus for your team. I expect Mo's, Jamison's and Hickson's scoring to all go up. Jamison will get you 18-20 with 7-9 boards. Hickson will finally get 35 minutes a night. And I expect Mo to be your go to guy.

You can do worse than Ryan Hollins as your backup C, just look at our roster, we don't have a center that can defend or rebound. Boobie, Ramon, Jamario, and Jawad make a good rotation of players. I think your franchise will function more as a team, rather than one guy with the ball in his hand 90% of the time.

[Lapinski]

I don't think people realize how bad the Cavs interior defense is. They won't be able to stop anyone. It will be very hard to win games giving up easy points on a consistent basis.

we allowed just 24 points in the paint tonight.

Your center was a all-NBA defensive second team member, if I remember correctly. I don't think Hickson is bad defending inside. We've been starting Elton Brand and Tony Battie at C.

[Lapinski]

forgot you had Leon Powe. I think most of the league will start underestimating you guys and you'll end up with a much better record starting the season.

[INKtastic]

There are 3 clear parallels to our losing LeBron. 3 cases where a team suddenly lost a MVP caliber player with no compensation

- Jordan leaving for baseball
- Shaq leaving Orlando for the Lakers
- Magic retiring with HIV

The Bulls got 2 games worse, the Magic got 15 games worse (injuries contributed to this), the lakers got 15 games worse. All 3 teams made the playoffs. Jordan and Magic both left at the start of training camp. In all 3 cases, the teams got no compensation. Jordan was replaced by Pete Myers, replacing LeBron with Joey Graham couldn't be any worse than that.

We also lost Shaq and Z, but we were just fine when they were both out a month last year.
We also lost Delonte, but got Sessions and Hollins for him, and we also did fine with him out last year

I really fail to see why so many consider our situation significantly worse than the Bulls, Lakers or Magic. I know we aren't contenders for the championship, but we are certainly better than a lot of people are saying. The loss of Jordan, Shaq and Magic combined cost their teams 32 wins. LeBron is great, but he's not better than those 3 combined. Falling by 20 wins puts us at .500. Play .500 for a good part of the season and we'll make a move to upgrade to a 50+ win team. We have trade assets, starting with our massive traded player exception.

[Baseline Runner]

The Cavs are looking great in the pre-season. Hickson is looking like an 18-8 power forward in the making, Gibson's shot is dead money, Sessions is a baller, and we still have solid players like Mo and Varejao. We really have the same outstanding depth that we have had the last few seasons. This team reminds me of the Bucks of last year, a scrappy team of players with no real star power that play hard on both ends of the court. We should be good enough to make the playoffs as the last few spots in the East are up for grabs. Making the playoffs is the best thing that can happen to this team in galvanizing both the fan base and the players after LeDecision.