Cleveland Cavaliers ranked No. 2 in first weekly power rankings

ESPN brought out their first power rankings of the season, and the Cleveland Cavaliers are ranked directly behind the Golden State Warriors.

Just as we expected, the Cleveland Cavaliers start out the season as the NBA’s second-best team. The Golden State Warriors, just like the Cleveland Cavaliers, added much depth this offseason, and with four stars still on their roster, they are easily the league’s top selection. Both teams excelled in this transforming offseason and come in as No. 1 and 2 respectively.

This is what ESPN said about the Cavaliers, and it all focuses around the King.

"By season’s end, LeBron James could be just the sixth player to play in eight consecutive NBA Finals, joining Bill Russell, Sam Jones, Tom Heinsohn, K.C. Jones and Frank Ramsey. The five players he would join all did so with the Celtics."

As the season is set to begin on Tuesday, October 17, the King might not be ready for the primetime showdown with the Boston Celtics. His health is one of the top priorities, so the Cavaliers’ staff will not rush him back for just a regular season game. That said, the Cavs might still have the weapons to beat the Celtics.

Although it is just one game like Tyronn Lue stated, it is the season’s first, and all eyes will be on TNT for the rivalry that will be born between LeBron James and Kyrie Irving. Not only will this newborn rivalry provide some of the league’s best basketball, but it will give us a preview of what the Eastern Conference Finals is expected to be like. All of that might not happen if James is not ready to play.

Regardless of his availability, James and the Cleveland Cavaliers are set to have one of the best teams this season. ESPN projected five teams to win over 50 games this season, and the Cavaliers, although ranked No. 2, are projected the fifth-most wins. San Antonio, Houston and Boston are project 53, 53, and 54 wins respectively. The Golden State Warriors are the only team projected over 60 wins.

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This team, if all goes well, will reach the Finals again, and ESPN ranked them as the second-best team because they know it too.