The Cleveland Cavaliers are 8-2 and have been on a tear. In fact, the Cavs won more games in their first 8 games than the Browns will win all year, but I digress.
National and local media and pundits have begun to ask the question: are the Cavs contenders? Well, we have to be more specific. Contenders for what? An NBA Title? Eastern Conference? Central Division? I know 8-2 is great, but we don’t know how good this team can be over the long-term. They’re not going to keep this pace, we know that, but how far off this pace are the real Cavaliers? We simply don’t know yet, but I think we will know as the calendar ticks over to 2023.
I don’t think the Cavs can win a championship, not yet. It’s too soon and there are still a few pieces missing on this roster. It’s possible, but unlikely they would win the Central Division Championship. Simply because I don’t see the Cavs finishing ahead of Milwaukee. As far as winning the Eastern Conference, it’s again difficult for me to see the Cavs getting past the Bucks. Keep in mind, the playoffs are a different animal than the regular season. The East is a wide open, but a tough conference. Any journey through the conference will be a battle of attrition. It’s not out of the question that the Cavs can come out of the East, but battle-tested teams like Boston and Milwaukee will be very tough for this young Cavs team to overcome in a 7-game series.
I think that the Cavs will win a playoff series. They’ll get out of the 1st round, and they can use that victory and the 2nd round loss to gain experience and make a serious run at the Conference Championship next year. Granted, the Cavs match up well with pretty much anyone, but that’s not why I see them losing in round 2. The issue is experience and roster holes.
Speaking of holes in the roster, I know some may wonder how a 8-2 team can have a lack in their rotation. But they do. Two of them. First, there’s still a hole at Small Forward, preferably a 3 & D guy is missing. The kind of player the Cavs hoped Issac Okoro would be. The Cavs are rotating between Dean Wade and Caris LeVert at the 3. Not ideal, but it’s working, only for now. That may not be anything that can be corrected at the trade deadline this year. Mainly because the Cavs lack assets. If they can pull off a deal, I’ll give you a few names to think about: Our old friend Jae Crowder and Royce O’ Neale.
The other lack is another big man. Beyond Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen there isn’t much. Kevin Love is a stretch 4 and that’s not what I’m talking about for depth behind #4 and #31. Robin Lopez is there, but he’s not going to play much. The Cavs need a defensive-minded Big who can crash the glass. Neither of those issues will sink the Cavs in the first round, but if they hope to make a deep run and move past Boston or Milwaukee, a 3 & D wing and another Big are going to be a necessity.
Give the Cavaliers this season to get used to playing with one a other and give Koby Altman and Mike Gansey another offseason to put the finishing touches on this roster. Next year is when the window opens for the Cavs to come out of the Eastern Conference.
Tim Corbett
November 10, 2022 at 8:54 pm
Andrew,
I am 100% in agreement with your take on the Cavaliers and their playoff prospects this season. You are on point. They are really playing for next season, and winning an early playoff round would be great experience. Losing in the next round is likely, but like you stated, not impossible to go deep – just unlikely.
I am not a Jae Crowder fan, but used to be. I watched him quite a lot here in SoCal the last few years playing for the Suns. He has lost a step imo. At 32 years old, his best basketball is behind him.
I think we can get by with Love and Wade backing up Mobley and Allen – as long as those two stay healthy. Love is an elite defensive rebounder. His D is not good. Wade has worked hard on his 3 point shot, and he can stick it from the deep corner. We need to look for him more in the corner.
Great article Andrew. Enjoyed reading this!
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