Will LeBron James and the Cavaliers be upset by Israel?

The first team to beat LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers this season could hail from a country the size of Connecticut.

Israel’s Maccabi Tel Aviv, the reigning Euroleague champs, will be in Cleveland on Oct. 5 to help James and the Cavs tip off their preseason.

If the potential for an upset here sounds ridiculous, it is — but consider this: In 2005, Maccabi became the first European team in 27 years — nearly three decades — to defeat an NBA team; they beat the Toronto Raptors during a preseason game in Canada by a score of 105-103.

A few obvious notes here:

• David Blatt, Maccabi’s coach who left Israel this summer to become the head coach of the Cavs, wasn’t coaching Tel Aviv at the time. Israel is once again without him, so take that for what it is.
• That Raptors squad had a fraction of the talent the Cavaliers currently have on their roster

Nevertheless, Maccabi’s culture, tenacity and proven ability to defeat an NBA team shouldn’t go unnoticed heading into next week.

In a Reuters article last week’s previewing the Oct. 5 matchup, Maccabi guard Sylven Landesberg spoke with the kind of chutzpah that has allowed the club to establish itself as a perennial powerhouse in the Euroleague with proven chops to beat NBA teams:

"“If we’re getting at them a little bit, [Blatt] is going to push the tempo. But we’re not afraid of it. We don’t back down to anybody.”"

The most curious aspect of Israel’s matchup with Cleveland next week though is that it marks the official NBA head coaching debut for the 55-year-old Blatt.

The Israeli-American became Cleveland’s head coach this offseason before James penned a letter for SI.com in which he announced his decision to leave the Heat and take his talents back to Cleveland. Blatt, a Princeton graduate, had compiled a 225-55 overall record in his five seasons with Maccabi, a team that has won six Euroleague championships.

Maccabi has seen its share of roster changes throughout the years, but players still there from Blatt’s tenure know him well. They know his strategies, his tendencies and how his teams like to defend.

Jun 25, 2014; Independence, OH, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers head coach David Blatt speaks to the media at Cleveland Clinic Courts. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-USA TODAY Sports

The Cavaliers benefit from the matchup because they will unquestionably gain international exposure not only for themselves as a franchise but also for the NBA by playing to a more international fanbase.

For their opposition, there’s much more: every member of Tel Aviv’s roster, from its players to its coaching staff, know there’s an opportunity here for a tremendous upset. The dividends for Maccabi, the Euroleague and for Israel are much greater than what the NBA stands to gain by adding a few extra overseas fans to their already well-established global audience. A win will further establish themselves as an NBA-caliber franchise and it will allow them to recruit with even more credibility when looking to sign fringe-NBA players in the offseason.

One thing is for sure: Maccabi’s new coach, Guy Goodes, an assistant under Blatt the past four years, is employing perhaps some reverse psychology heading into next week. He’s taking all the pressure off his players and putting it squarely on Blatt, the guy who taught him so much about what it takes to win, and perhaps win big:

"“Hopefully, [Blatt] will have some mercy. If it gets to a 20-point gap, I hope he doesn’t make it 40.”"