NBA Playoffs Round Table Discsussion

With the NBA Playoffs kicking off, some of the staff at KJG came together to discuss a few things important for the Cleveland Cavaliers.

While not an exhaustive list, with the NBA Playoffs kicking off we decided to discuss the Cavs from a big picture perspective. The story of the Cavs, and the NBA Playoffs, is about 2 months from being finalized what do our staff think today?

Here is our Round Table discussion:

While Golden State has been the big obstacle, how worried are you about the Cleveland Cavaliers facing the San Antonio Spurs in the NBA Finals?

Jared Mueller – While the Warriors are scary for a lot of reasons, the Spurs have 2 big reasons. First, their size is a difficult match-up for the Cavs. Second, their system is something that keeps them in every game while the Cavs fluctuate based on the performance of some of their key players.

Noah Strackbein- Extremely worried. If the Spurs are built to accomplish anything, it’s win in the playoffs. Duncan, Kawhi Leonard, and Tony Parker are rested and ready to play. The Warriors played their key players right until the end which will eventually hurt them once the playoffs get rolling. As we all know, the regular season is a completely different game than the playoffs, and the Spurs are made for the playoffs.

Luke Sicari- Not as worried as I would be if they faced Golden State. Look, the Spurs are sensational but I think the Cavs could beat them using their transition game. You need to run to score against the Spurs and if Cleveland commits to their increased pace and run in transition, they will be able to score enough to win. Then it comes down to the defense, which presents a whole new slew of issues.

Omar Josef Guerrero – I’ll still be concerned because Kawhi Leonard plays LeBron James as well as anybody I have ever seen. Their bigs are going to be a problem as well since all of them are polished scorers inside and out. It’s up to the Cavs to play tough man-to-man defense and not let anyone loose for easy baskets. On offense, the Cavs can’t rely on one on one basketball or else it will be a quick series.

Chris De Silva – While I think the Cavs match up better with the Spurs in comparison to the Warriors, the battle of the coaching worries me. You have to think Gregg Popovich would absolutely coach rings around Ty Lue in a seven game series. However, I believe the Cavs’ athleticism can trouble the ageing Spurs.

Looking at the East, what team scares you the most as the team to upset the Cavs before the NBA Finals?

Jared Mueller – If Chris Bosh was playing, it would be Miami. With him out, the Heat will still be tough for the Cavs but not the scary force they could have been. Surprisingly, it may be the Charlotte Hornets that give the Cavs the toughest time, even though the Celtics likely give them the most physical series if they meet.

Luke Sicari- Miami. The only possible round the Cavs would face the Heat would be in the conference finals and while I would still pick Cleveland, it is the team that scares me the most. Miami’s offense isn’t consistent enough to beat the Cavs four times in seven games but they have the experience and emotional drive needed to push the Cavaliers to the brink.

Omar Josef Guerrero – Boston. Those guys are tough as nails. Last year’s run to the playoffs wasn’t a fluke. The Celtics are well-coached and are a team built for the playoffs. Their game may not be pretty like the Cavs or Warriors but they are as scary as the Raptors or the Heat.

Noah Strackbein- Miami. They are one of the most well rounded teams in the NBA and have stayed under the radar most of the season. Although they won’t play Cleveland until the Conference Finals, they’d still worry me. It isn’t a certain part of their game that worries me, it the fact that they have so much experience. I wouldn’t pick any team to beat the Cavs in the East, but if I had to Miami would be the team.

Chris De Silva – As much as I hate them, it would have to be the Miami Heat. They are the one team with more playoff experience than the Cavaliers and the addition of Joe Johnson has helped them immensely. The fact that the Cavaliers haven’t won in Miami since 2010 is also concerning. However, Miami hasn’t come remotely close to beating the Cavs in Cleveland since LeBron’s return. The psychoanalysis of LeBron and the media circus around the series would be incredibly annoying as a fan.

After having both injured in the Playoffs last year, who do you think is most important to the Cavs this year: Kyrie Irving or Kevin Love? Why?

Jared Mueller – It makes sense to say Kyrie but with very limited options down low, Love is more needed for the Cavs than Irving it seems. Kyrie can be great, and is the 2nd best player on the team, but LeBron James, Matthew Dellavedova, Jordan McRae, Mo Williams and even J.R. Smith and Iman Shumpert can at least take some of Irving’s duties. Really only Channing Frye and Tristan Thompson will play any heavy minutes in the post, unless LBJ decides to, which means the Cavs really need Love.

Luke Sicari- Kyrie because he has the killer instinct that Love lacks. In the playoffs, the Cavs are going to face multiple clutch moments. It’s inevitable. And this is when Irving thrives. Cleveland can’t afford to have an offense reliant on LeBron isolation late in games, they need other avenues to score. Irving is a safer option to score when he needs to, rather than Love.

Omar Josef Guerrero – Irving. That kid gets better when the game is tighter. If he gets rid of the over-dribbling that has been an issue for him this past season, he can win several games for the Cavs during clutch situations. Love is also quite dependable in the closing moments but Irving is that special kind of player who has ice water in his veins.

Noah Strackbein- Kyrie Irving. What we learned last season was that the Cavs had no offensive firepower once Irving and Love went down. Although Love can generate good offense, Kyrie can control the floor while LeBron is resting. That’s going to be the biggest factor of the Cavaliers’ success this postseason.

Chris De Silva – Both are going to have to lift their games if the Cavs are to win a title this year. However, I have to think Kevin Love is the X-Factor. Generally you know what you are going to get with Kyrie and LeBron in terms of numbers. When Kevin Love plays well, the Cavs go to another level. If Love is playing well, it generally means that the Cavs are running good offensive sets and moving the ball from side to side.

What is the one key for the Cavs to make another NBA Finals?

Jared Mueller – It has to be ball movement. When the ball is moving, everyone on the court is engaged and tends to play better on the defensive side of the ball. They should be able to get out of the East pretty easily but ball movement will decide how much hope they have afterwards and how quickly they dispatch their Foes to the Finals.

Luke Sicari- Finding the defense. Seriously, where has it gone? Now, the Cavs aren’t going to be a gritty defensive team like they were last year. That identity was created out of necessity due to injuries. But Cleveland simply needs to find a way to play better defense in the playoffs. I could go into detail about all of the Cavs defensive issues but bottom line, it needs to be much better than what we saw in the second half of the season.

Omar Josef Guerrero – Ball movement. If there is anything that I have seen this past season that has cost the Cavs many games, it’s their penchant for relying too much on milking the clock with too much dribbling and then playing hero ball. J.R. Smith sometimes loses his hot shooting because the ball stops going to him and the others aren’t finding ways to get him open. The Warriors and the Spurs will feast on us if we face them in the Finals.

Noah Strackbein- Nothing. The Cavs have already proven they can beat any team in the East and that isn’t going to change heading into the playoffs. The Finals themselves will be a totally different game, but until then the Cavaliers don’t need to do anything special.

Chris De Silva – Lockdown D. Since Ty Lue’s appointment, the Cavs have been one of the best offensive teams in the league. Their defense on the other hand has been inconsistent. Last year’s injuries forced the Cavs to lean on their defense and they were able to almost go the distance. Last year’s playoff run would have told the Cavs a lot about the importance of being a good defensive team and hopefully they can replicate it once again.

If the Cavs don’t win an NBA Championship, should they make a big move or stay the course?

Jared Mueller – Even though I posed the question, I don’t think the results of the Finals should really play a big role. The Cavs should make the best moves for their team no matter what. If that means moving Love for a package from Boston, do it either way. On the other hand, I don’t think the Cavs should trade Irving and Love to get older to try to push for that “one ring.” Carmelo Anthony and Chris Paul sound fun but are up in age, have injury issues and have similar fit concerns. If LBJ wanted that he could have just stayed in Miami.

Luke Sicari- It depends on the market. I wouldn’t trade Kyrie, so Love would be the big move but if no one is offering a superstar in return, move on. Continuity is key in any sport and it would be nice to see a Cleveland sports team with some.

Omar Josef Guerrero – Perhaps one big move and that’s it. The core of the team is solid. However, Love may be the odd man out as the Cavs’ interior defense will be an issue if they don’t win the chip. But we need an All-Star power forward in return for Love and a few other players. I think the organization will give Lue a pass this year if he fails and allow him to work with the guys during the offseason to instill his offensive and defensive principles from the start.

Noah Strackbein- Make a big move. The Cavaliers seem to be the most inconsistent firepower in the NBA. Besides LeBron James, there isn’t a player on the roster that has stayed up to par all season. For example, when J.R. Smith has to lead a team, there’s problems. If the Cavs end up losing in the Finals, or beforehand, then a player like Durant (not as much of a longshot as you’d think) should be in their sights.

Chris De Silva – It depends on how they lose. If they are bundled out in the Eastern Conference then they will likely explore a trade. However, reaching the finals and losing to the 73-9 Warriors shouldn’t be cause for concern. The key factor in the Spurs’ and Warriors’ success is continuity and the Cavaliers in all honesty just haven’t had that yet. A full pre-season for Ty Lue could be extremely beneficial for this group.

Would making, but losing, in the NBA Finals be good enough or a disappointing season in your opinion for the Cavs?

Jared Mueller – Remembering that Irving and Love are young, so are Tristan and Delly, the Cavs window is not that small. As long as they look competitive in the NBA Finals, the process is going just fine. LeBron joined two young stars with the Cavs and thinking Championship or Bust seems irresponsible and not appreciative of winning basketball. Anyone want to return to the 4 years in between LeBron?

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Luke Sicari- Disappointing. I know this is harsh because the Warriors are simply incredible but this team is in championship or bust mode. That’s it. The sacking of David Blatt further affirmed this but even if he was still the coach, it wouldn’t have mattered, same scenario. This team needs a title and LeBron needs one in Cleveland to secure his legacy.

Omar Josef Guerrero – Disappointing. We had a chance to win last year with a depleted lineup and we were supposed to be a better team this year. But we’ve been plagued with maddening inconsistency the whole year. If we don’t win this year, people will again blame LeBron even if it won’t be entirely his fault. Sports fans are unforgiving of repeated failures and the King’s misfortunes will be a knock against his legacy, whether legitimately so or not.

Chris De Silva – Ultimately disappointing because this team is built to win it all now and it’ll be another year of LeBron’s prime gone. LeBron’s own legacy would take another hit with a 2-5 finals record. However, there can’t be any shame in losing to the greatest regular season team of all-time.

Give us your thoughts on our thoughts about the NBA Playoffs in the comment section below.