46 replies to this topic

[keith crime]

Mo Williams was a great pick upThey actually look like they have an offense nowNo more Lebron at the top of the key 1-5 - well a lot less at least!Anderson Verajou is even looking like a star right nowBen Wallace made some free throws6 in a row - woo hoo!Uh oh i'm starting to sound like showstopper

[keith crime]

8 in a rowthey actually have an offense nowand lebron is blocking every layup and dunk attempt in sight!

[Jadaki]

I think nearly every team in the NBA is clearing cap space to make a run at Lebron.If Cleveland keeps him I'll be extremely shocked.

[keith crime]

cavs win a title this year or next he staysif not he's gonzocavs actually have some space for 2011 too though

[chgocubs99]

Bump

[showstopper24]

So...the Cavs are pretty freaking good right now.

[keith crime]

ESPN's Hollinger has the cavs at like 54% to win the NBA championship and he defended it tooSeveral letters along the lines of this one have filled my mailbag recently, and not all of them have been from crazed Celtics fans. According to Friday's Playoff Odds, the Cavs have a 54.5 percent chance of winning the NBA title, compared to just 23.5 percent for the defending champion Celtics.In their mostly forgettable 38-year history, the Cavs have never won a game in the Finals, and even last season, they were a pretty average team. As a result, fans have had trouble getting their arms around the idea that Cleveland suddenly could be an unstoppable juggernaut.So picture me grabbing you by the shoulders and shaking you while I say, "Cleveland suddenly is an unstoppable juggernaut."The standings don't make this completely clear, because Boston is still a game ahead of Cleveland and beat the Cavs by five on opening day. In fact, the Celtics are working on a pretty impressive season of their own that could see them match last season's win total (66).Based on that, you'd think the Playoff Odds would project Boston to repeat as champion. And if this were last season, they would.But there's a teeny little problem: Out of the blue, the Cavs are having a season for the ages. Cleveland's plus-13.4 average victory margin this season, if it holds up, would be the best of all time in the league. And here's a scary thought -- it could get better. The Cavs still have 10 games left against the six bottom-feeders in the West. At the moment, Boston is the only thing preventing the Cavs from another awesome accomplishment -- becoming the second team in history to lead the league in both offensive efficiency and defensive efficiency in the same season. Only the legendary 1995-96 Bulls managed that feat, but Cleveland is mighty close.Thanks to recent acquisitions like Mo Williams, Delonte West and Wally Szczerbiak, LeBron James suddenly is surrounded by deadly midrange shooters. As a result, Cleveland leads the league with an offensive efficiency mark of 112.0, well ahead of second-place Portland's 110.2 -- an impressive turnaround for a unit that was below the league average last season.But the Cavs have done it without sacrificing D -- even though Williams was about as apathetic a defender as you'll ever see last season in Milwaukee. The Cavs' 96.8 defensive efficiency mark is well ahead of that of every other team in the league … except one. That one would be Boston -- with a 95.4 defensive efficiency mark -- which cemented its grip on the top spot in Thursday's 122-88 rout of Washington. With such impressive results so far, it's no wonder the Playoff Odds like the Cavs so much. The amazing part isn't that they come out favored over Boston; it's that the Lakers and the Celtics are themselves so strong that in half the scenarios, Cleveland fails to win the title. In almost any other season, we'd already be planning the parade route.

[babylondonks]

I'm sorry, but the more articles like this I read from old Johnny, the less I like him. Despite Cleveland's record, against the great teams of the NBA they're 1-2 (Celtics, New Orleans and a win against Denver). So I'm holding out the jury on them until I see them perform against the better teams in the game.

[babylondonks]

I rest my case. Even without Big Z I'd expect a team that's "54% to win the championship" to be able to win in a spot like this. Boy do I love ESPN

[Jadaki]

All those 4th quarters you guys are happy Lebron is sitting out seems to bite them in the ass when they play an actual close game.They know how to win against bad competition by large margins, but they look shaky in close games with teams who challenge them.

[keith crime]

Jadaki, on Sunday, December 14th, 2008, 10:52 AM, said:

All those 4th quarters you guys are happy Lebron is sitting out seems to bite them in the ass when they play an actual close game.They know how to win against bad competition by large margins, but they look shaky in close games with teams who challenge them.

pleaseroad game against a tough home team - without two major players out injured

[Jadaki]

keith crime, on Sunday, December 14th, 2008, 12:19 PM, said:

pleaseroad game against a tough home team - without two major players out injured

According to you the team is Lebron and 8 scrubs anyway, who cares if scrubs are hurt?I think it's funny you call them a tough home team when they beat the Cavs, but when they pushed the Celtics to 7 games you made fun of them. Typical.Mo Williams & Delonte West played... and those are the two best offensive options outside of Lebron. Neither of which could do anything with the game on the line. I get your flying team colors, but considering that's the type of game they will need to win in the playoffs, I don't think ignoring it is very intelligent.

[keith crime]

Jadaki, on Sunday, December 14th, 2008, 7:58 PM, said:

According to you the team is Lebron and 8 scrubs anyway, who cares if scrubs are hurt?I think it's funny you call them a tough home team when they beat the Cavs, but when they pushed the Celtics to 7 games you made fun of them. Typical.Mo Williams & Delonte West played... and those are the two best offensive options outside of Lebron. Neither of which could do anything with the game on the line. I get your flying team colors, but considering that's the type of game they will need to win in the playoffs, I don't think ignoring it is very intelligent.

i never said Z and Gibson were scrubsthe Hawks have only lost one game at homei didn't mock boston - well i sort of did - but they were 0-3 there in the playoffs which were much more importantexcuse me if I don't panic at one loss after winning 18 of 19 with the starting center out

[Jadaki]

keith crime, on Sunday, December 14th, 2008, 7:25 PM, said:

after winning 18 of 19 with the starting center out

How many of those were against winning teams?

[keith crime]

Jadaki, on Sunday, December 14th, 2008, 11:34 PM, said:

How many of those were against winning teams?

cavs strength of schedule is better than the celtics

[Jadaki]

keith crime, on Monday, December 15th, 2008, 1:52 PM, said:

cavs strength of schedule is better than the celtics

Way to not answer my question. Also, feel free to link to an up to date SOS listing for the NBA...

[keith crime]

Jadaki, on Monday, December 15th, 2008, 4:03 PM, said:

Way to not answer my question. Also, feel free to link to an up to date SOS listing for the NBA...

Cleveland .492Boston .478

[Poppy_Hillis]

keith crime, on Monday, December 15th, 2008, 2:41 PM, said:

Cleveland .492Boston .478

No point in arguing over semantics. Just wait til the end of May, we'll all find out who is better in no more than 7 games.

[keith crime]

thats much too sane and well resoned for this debate

[Jadaki]

Jadaki, on Monday, December 15th, 2008, 3:03 PM, said:

Way to not answer my question. Also, feel free to link to an up to date SOS listing for the NBA...

Bolded for emphasis.