The Cleveland Cavaliers have dominated the competition in the NBA Playoffs this season.
Led by LeBron James and an excellent supporting cast, the Cavs have eight wins in equal number of games. They started their playoff run with a 4-0 swept against the Indiana Pacers. And they also won four straight games against the Toronto Raptors.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lF4rWuVdmK0&w=854&h=480
LeBron has been excellent, but the rest of the players have improved as well. Kyle Korver has been deadly from long range. Kyrie Irving has been James’ perfect complement. And players such as Iman Shumpert, J.R. Smith, and Kevin Love have impressed as well. Cleveland doesn’t seem to have a lot of rivals in the Eastern Conference, and they are four wins away from a third straight trip to the NBA Finals.
However, the Cavs do not know which team they will face yet. The Boston Celtics and the Washington Wizards are currently fighting for that spot, and before Wednesday’s action the series was tied 2-2. There’s no question either team will be Cleveland’s toughest test during the playoffs. But can any of them upset the Cavs to win the Eastern Conference title?
First, let’s look at the series between them during the regular season. Cleveland won two of three games against Boston, and got the same result against Washington. So it’s safe to say the Cavs have the edge based on what has happened thus far. However, if we dig deeper, the Cavs have several other advantages to their names.
If we look at the offense, the Cavs are rolling right now. Boston or Washington can try to stop LeBron and even double-guard him, but it’s not like that’s the only threat. If they decide to guard James, then Irving can slash to the rim. Love can be a threat from the perimeter or the inside. And the presence of Korver, Smith and Channing Frye is enough to keep opposing defences honest. Washington doesn’t have enough players to cover them, so they would be in for a long series. And Cleveland can focus on stop either John Wall and Bradley Beal, and that’s enough. Otto Porter is a talented wingman, but he’s not ready to takeover games yet.
Boston has a bigger chance to pull the upset. Players like Marcus Smart, Avery Bradley, and Jae Crowded can guard the perimeter effectively, so that could complicate Cleveland in the end. But the wildcard here would be what James can do. LeBron has been excellent during the postseason, and he has shown time and time again he can carry the whole offense of the team.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0OUe8Txmf3Y&w=854&h=480
In terms of Boston’s offense, there’s no doubt Isaiah Thomas is the Celtics’ biggest threat. But the Cavs could stop him if they establish two players on him. Thomas has struggled with the physicality of the playoffs thus far. And there’s no question the Cavs will go hard at him. Could he adjust? That’s tough to say considering what he’s done during the current playoffs.
Conclusion: the Cavs have an easy path to the Finals. It would be shocking if they don’t reach that stage for the third straight year.