King James Gospel
Fansided

Cavs Forward Thinking: Another Back and Forth with Jared and Spencer

By Spencer Davies

facebooktwitterreddit

After the physical battle that resulted in a loss at Houston on Sunday afternoon, the Cavs sit one game back from the Toronto Raptors for the second seed in the Eastern Conference.

That being said, it is officially March which means that things are really heating up in the NBA. Games are going to be more crucial as the season draws closer to an end, and the battle for high seeds will be tighter. With the Cavs 11 games back from Atlanta and a game back from the Raptors, where will they ultimately end up?

JM: I think the Cavs end up with the 2nd seed in the Eastern Conference. The Toronto Raptors are struggling and the Chicago Bulls will be without Derrick Rose for some time. The Cavs schedule is tough but not terrible and with Kyrie Irving and LeBron James getting a little rest here now, along with Shawn Marion (my wildcard), the team should be ready for the schedule. How are you feeling about the Cavs finishing push before the playoffs?

SD: For once, we don’t start this out with an disagreement right off the bat. Ultimately, I also believe Cleveland ends up with the second seed in the Eastern Conference. With injuries mounting for Chicago and the Raptors losing ground, the Cavs (when healthy) have way too much fire power to not end up ahead of those too. As far as those who think Cleveland might end up with the top seed in the East, Atlanta would have to lose a solid chunk of games in order to lose that spot, and that simply won’t happen.

Answering your question- The Cavs are clicking on all levels as a team right now, and I don’t think that’s going to change. However, I do think that its possible that the team could have another short losing skid two or three more times. It’s entirely too difficult to maintain this level of play for the rest of the season with factors such as injuries, fatigue and a somewhat difficult schedule the rest of the way. Do you foresee possible trouble for them as well?

More from King James Gospel

JM: I actually do not. A lot of the Cavs problems, besides personnel, came down to effort and focus. I believe most of that was related to the team trying to figure things out and building confidence in one another. Now, in the Playoff push, LeBron has made it clear that it is time to make things happen. He got really frustrated when things didn’t go right in games since the All Star break. He also has to be encouraged by the play of the team against the Pacers without both he and Kyrie Irving, even though they lost.

Obviously I am putting a ton of credit and responsibility on LBJ’s shoulders. Do you feel like he is most responsible when the team does good or bad or do you feel like too much is credited to him?

SD: Before I answer, the effort between now and just three months ago is definitely a night and day difference. Now as far as your question goes, it’s obvious to say, but LeBron James is definitely the catalyst to the Cavs’ success. When a team sees its leader give 110% on the floor, the team gives 110% as well. If their leader looks like he’s just going through the motions, they will follow suit. It’s as simple as that. LeBron James is playing at a ridiculously high level of basketball again, and that’s a key part of why the team has really come together in the past month and a half.

That being said, who’s your key player to emerge during this last part of the season going into the playoffs?

JM: Mentioned it earlier but I really see Shawn Marion as being that key piece. He was fine last year, so the fall off seems due to injury not just becoming terrible all of a sudden. He can guard three positions really well and gives the Cavs another guy who can get out and run. With Iman Shumpert and Matthew Dellavedova showing they can hit spot up 3 pointers, Marion gives them the slasher type on the second unit. He will also help keep LeBron fresh which is really important.

Do you think any of the backups will matter come playoff time? If so, who is the one you hope will step up?

SD: Marion is definitely an intriguing situation to pay attention to coming down the stretch, but I’m looking at Tristan Thompson. Besides the past couple of games, you really haven’t seen his name as much in the box score. Granted that Thompson is one of those players that’s reputable for contributions with hustle and offensive rebounds, I see him continuing his ways and making a big impact on both ends of the floor.

Speaking of big men, what was your opinion on the addition of Kendrick Perkins?

JM: Eh! I was glad that they filled a need as we had little size behind TT on the bench. With news that JaVale McGee now wants a buyout, I am upset that he didn’t say it right after he was traded to the Sixers. McGee is much, much better than Perkins. As it is, Perkins foot speed is now the slowest I have seen in the NBA in sometime. It impacts his screens, rebounding and defense. I think he can help but not a ton.

Are there teams, whether in the East or West, whose roster worries you in a series with the Cavs?

SD: Our sentiments are the same about McGee.

The team that worries me the most in the East is the Atlanta Hawks, and it’s not just because they’re currently number one. I’ve explained in the past how much I love their brand of basketball under Pop disciple Mike Budenholzer. They’re not just a team in the moment, they are for real. As for other teams in the East, not many are daunting. The Wizards are floundering around trying to find their way back to how they were playing earlier this year. The Bulls have their gigantic share of injury issues. I would have said the Miami Heat just a couple of weeks ago, but with Chris Bosh out for the rest of the season they may not even make it to the postseason.

If you were to ask me about any team that the Cavs should be afraid of in the West, I’d say every one of them. That list includes the two teams on the outside looking in to the playoffs as well! There’s a ridiculous amount of parity between all of them.

Who are yours?

JM: Would be far more worried about a healthy Bulls team than the Hawks, though I love the way the Hawks play. If the Cavs could play that way all the time they would be dominate on offense. The West is interesting, as seen in Sunday’s game against the Rockets. They have 8 teams that could meet the Cavs in the NBA Finals. Teams with versatile players, where the Cavs can’t just scheme to take them out of the game, will give them trouble. The Thunder are the team that worries me maybe the most in the West.

Was there a move that you think the Cavs should have made during the NBA Trade Deadline that would have drastically changed their chances?

SD: Besides the addition of a backup point guard, there wasn’t necessarily a reason to make a move at the deadline. Cleveland got their guy to backup Mozgov with the signing of Perkins, so there wasn’t really a gaping hole left to fill on the roster. There wasn’t a glaring name out there to acquire, plus the way the team is meshing at the moment there was no reason to disrupt their chemistry.

More from King James Gospel

That’s all I got, anything else?

JM: If you had to bet any money on the Cavs winning the NBA Title as of today how much would you bet? Not a better man myself but I would consider the Cavs the favorites based on two things: 1) They are perhaps the most talented team in the league and 2) The Western Conference teams will all beat each other up and likely have to go through a ton of long, tough series. The Cavs will have an easier road through the East and should have time to rest that the West will not.

So what say you?

SD: I agree with your thoughts on the road for Cleveland, as well as the West destroying each other with friendly fire. I think the odds are a lot better than what they were before the moves were made, but I’m not so sure about a championship in year one.

That’s all we’ve got for you today fans. Chime in with some comments to let us know your thoughts, and thanks for reading!

Next: Cavs Schedule Could Play Role In Playoff Seeding