NBA Contenders and Pretenders

CONTENDER: Cleveland Cavaliers

From the news surrounding the team, it would appear that the Cleveland Cavaliers are about as functional as the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant. Kevin Love appears to be neither right- nor left-handed, Kyrie Irving is secretly plotting to move to a more peaceful location, the team’s role players are soft and overpaid, and LeBron James is whatever villain you need him to be: LeBron the teammate is selfish, inefficient and too ball-dominant; LeBron the shadow GM is a power-hungry sociopath intent on wrestling control from owner Dan Gilbert; LeBron the international superstar loves surrounding himself with drama; LeBron the fashion war criminal probably wears socks with sandals … the list goes on.

For those not listening to Stephen A. Smith, it would appear the Cavaliers are in a much more nuanced position heading into the final month of the NBA season. They are the clear leaders in the East – no other team in the conference has the talent or the championship pedigree to compete with the Cavs – and yet the team doesn’t display the aggressive floor to floor play of either of their likely Finals opponents in the Dubs and Spurs.

LeBron seems intent on building his roster HIS way, and in some ways that works to the detriment of the Cavaliers. This team is slow, methodical and predicated on controlling possessions. The Cavs are tied for 28th out of 30 in pacing, averaging only 95.5 possessions per game. In the 2015 Finals, what killed them was the fact they were also inefficient on offense. That doesn’t appear to be the case this season, however, as Cleveland is fourth in the NBA in offensive efficiency (107.8 pts per 100 possessions).

The Cavs win by limiting opponents’ opportunities, and capitalizing on their own opportunities. Over the course of a seven-game series, that is going to work in their favor. If they remain healthy, Cleveland is still a contender.

Next: Pretender: Atlanta Hawks