Despite a shaky regular season, the Cleveland Cavaliers are the best team the NBA has to offer at the moment.
For the majority of this year, the Cleveland Cavaliers have been viewed as an afterthought.
A large number of analysts and fans felt as if the window for success with this team had closed. Some blame the loss of Kyrie Irving. Others feel as if the Eastern Conference has simply become too strong. The bottom line is, the Cavaliers were written off and deemed hopeless.
Well, with the NBA playoffs right around the corner, the Cavaliers have ramped it up once again. The team has now won 10 of its last 11 games. Furthermore, the team is currently in the midst of a five-game win streak.
This stretch has included two key games.
First, a dominant win over the top-seeded Toronto Raptors. Then, a huge 16-point comeback win versus the Washington Wizards. These two wins have given confirmation that the Cleveland Cavaliers are still top dog in the East.
When looking at the Cavaliers competition in the East, it’s unclear if any team can compete with them.
The Boston Celtics just learned that Kyrie Irving will be out for the remainder of the season/playoffs. The Toronto Raptors have done nothing to prove that they can beat Cleveland. Lastly, teams such as the Milwaukee Bucks and the Washington Wizards lack the firepower needed to win a series versus the Cavs.
The biggest Eastern Conference threat to Cleveland right now may be the Philadelphia 76ers. However, most of the players on the 76ers have zero playoff experience. To make things worse, the team is playing without their star center, Joel Embiid. It’s hard to imagine this team will be the one to halt LeBron James’ streak of seven consecutive NBA Final appearances.
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But, what about the Western Conference?
Teams like the Houston Rockets and the Golden State Warriors are surely better than the Cavaliers, right?
Let’s start with the Warriors.
As of right now, Stephen Curry is dealing with an ankle injury that has been bothering him all season. This injury has resulted in head coach Steven Kerr saying there is absolutely no chance of Curry playing in the first round of the playoffs.
Yes, the team still has Finals MVP, Kevin Durant. However, Curry is arguably more important to the team than Durant. Not to mention the fact that Klay Thompson is recovering from a fractured bone in his shooting hand. These injuries have been looming over Golden State all season and it may be just enough to sabotage their hopes at a title.
The Houston Rockets are easily the toughest opponent the Cavaliers could possibly face. Houston has been red hot this year. However, there is one thing that potentially gives the Cavaliers an advantage.
Houston’s two best players, Chris Paul and James Harden, have a long history of coming up short in the post-season. Whether the criticism is fair or not, there is no denying that these two players have underachieved in the playoffs.
Meanwhile, the Cavaliers are led by LeBron James. James has done more than enough to prove his dominance in the post-season. There is no reason to assume he won’t bring that same fire into the playoffs this season.
At the end of the day, it’s safe to say the Cavaliers are at least one of the top two teams in the league. Houston certainly appears to be number one when comparing team records. Except, anyone who has watched these two teams in the playoffs the last few years understands how different a team can look when the pressure is turned up.
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If I had to pick between the Cavs and Rockets right now, my money is on Cleveland.