Predicting how the Cavaliers will do against the Northwest Division

How the Cavs stack up against the Jazz

Much like Portland, the Utah Jazz look like another rock solid team heading into the 2019-20 season.

Utah was bounced by James Harden and the Rockets in five games in the first round of last year’s postseason out West, but Utah could be set up much better and could make a much deeper playoff run in 2019-20.

This offseason, though, Utah made a nice trade in acquiring terrific point guard Mike Conley from the Memphis Grizzlies, which was reported by Wojnarowski.

That was in exchange for Grayson Allen, Kyle Korver (who Memphis later traded to the Phoenix Suns, who then waived him and he’s a Milwaukee Buck now courtesy of free agency, for the record) and Jae Crowder, along with two first-round draft picks, of which was from one in this past draft and a future one, per Wojnarowski.

A backcourt pairing of Conley, who had 21.1 points, 6.4 assists and 1.3 steals per game last season (per NBA.com), along with outstanding young talent Donovan Mitchell, who had 23.8 points, 4.2 assists, 4.1 rebounds and 1.4 steals per game last season, is one that is going to be a challenge for any team in 2019-20, let alone the rebuilding Cleveland Cavaliers.

Conley is masterful in the pick-and-roll, and I’d think the combination of Conley and terrific rolling big Rudy Gobert will have their chemistry down well by the time by the Cavs play the Jazz on March 2 and then on the road on April 1.

Getting around screens from Gobert is going to be tough for Cleveland’s backcourt, and if switchouts happen with Conley or Mitchell, who can both score at all three levels and both have great vision (Mitchell’s is underrated), the Cavaliers will be in even rougher shape.

In addition, it won’t be an easy task for Osman, Windler, Porter and/or Love to have to have defend a combination of Joe Ingles, and/or newly-signed small-ball 4 Bojan Bogdanovic. Ingles, who is one of Utah’s best playmakers, also shot 39.1% from three-point range last season, and Bogdanovic, who will play the 4 a bunch for Utah, shot 42.5% from deep with the Indiana Pacers in 2018-19 (per NBA.com).

Wing Royce O’Neale is no slouch on the wing as a catch-and-shoot player, either, off the bench, and again, will need to be accounted for on spot-ups.

Though Bogdanovic is not the post-up presence previous starting 4 Derrick Favors was for Utah, Bogdanovic will space the floor very well, and the lane will likely be wide-open a number of times for the Jazz, especially the Cavs, a squad that doesn’t project to have much in terms of perimeter resistance and will have to help a bunch I would assume.

Now to the offensive end for Cleveland.

Defensively, though previous point guard Ricky Rubio was a plus player on that end and has good IQ when healthy on most occasions, he wasn’t nearly as effective last season, and against Sexton and Garland’s quickness, the combination of the heady Conley and the uber-athletic and long Mitchell is going to be tough sledding.

Throwing in the clamps-like capability of Ingles against opposing small forwards, and it’s likely going to long nights for the young pieces in Osman and Porter against Ingles’ physicality and Utah free agent signing Jeff Green, along with O’Neale, often have really tough contests and are difficult to get separation from going to the basket, too.

Perhaps the Cavaliers could get some efficient production from Windler after running off screens to shake free from Bogdanovic, a slower player Windler’s more than capable of getting away from, and Love at the 5 could get Gobert out of the paint more.

Could Cleveland get some switchouts for Sexton and Garland against Gobert as well? I would think some, but if traps come, that could lead to turnovers with the likes of Ingles, Mitchell and O’Neale lurking, which could lead to run-outs.

Predicting how the Cavs will do against Utah in 2019-20: 0-2

The Jazz will miss Favors, who had 1.4 blocks per game last season, a bit as another rim protector, but the floor spacing and higher scoring ceiling Bogdanovic, to go the upgrade of Conley as a shooter over Rubio, make them a more dangerous team next season.

Furthermore, Utah’s perimeter defense could be even better, especially if the 6-foot-6 Dante Exum, who has been decimated by injuries in his career, can stay healthy, as he is a heady player on that end that is tough to break down at the point of attack, too.

The Jazz had the league’s second-best defensive rating last year (per NBA.com), and though Crowder and Favors were in the fold and their absence could be felt a tad, Utah still has the makings of a top-five defense this season.

Combine that with more firepower offensively, and I’d be very surprised if the Cavs, whose roster/rotation could be much different at the time these teams will meet, will beat the Jazz either of their two meetings.

So that wraps up the Cavs-Northwest Division breakdown.

How do you see Cleveland doing against the Northwest in the 2019-20 season, Cavs fans?

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