After years of rumors, the NBA has finally decided to implement an in-season tournament. Full disclosure: I am still trying to figure out the point of it all. There’s no real benefit for the players beside a nice cash prize for the teams that make it to the knockout rounds and the winning team, of course. On the flip side, it does make the regular season a bit more competitive and allows for sports fans to have something to watch on Tuesdays and Fridays when the NFL isn’t on.
However, if Adam Silver really wanted to spice things up, he would have added playoff implications to this World Cup-esque tournament. Unfortunately, I am not the commissioner of the NBA, so this will have to do.
With all that said, the Cleveland Cavaliers now have a chance to put the NBA world on notice. They were placed in Eastern Conference Group A, which features the Philadelphia 76ers, Atlanta Hawks, Indiana Pacers, and Detroit Pistons. After a stellar offseason that saw them shore up their shooting weaknesses and depth issues, the Cavs have the best roster on paper in the group. As I have said before, the Cavs have no excuses this year and winning their in-season tournament group would be a good start; you can view their Group A schedule here, via the team.
Here are three reasons why the Cavs will top Group A.
We’ll begin with the first reason Cleveland will emerge victorious in their group.
Reason No. 1: The uncertainty involving the 76ers
At this point, it’s unclear who produces more drama: the Kardashians or James Harden. It’s really close. After yet another disappointing postseason run, Harden requested a trade out of Philadelphia after Daryl Morey refused to give him the raise he promised. Now, Harden and the Sixers are headed for the biggest standoff since Johnny Depp and Amber Heard, with no end in sight. Another day, another drama filled offseason for the Sixers. Now, this bodes well for the Cavs because they are at the top of the group along with the Sixers in terms of talent.
As much of a drama queen as Harden is, his loss would be very significant for the Sixers as they have no one to replace his offensive production. While they do have Tyrese Maxey and Joel Embiid still, their offensive firepower takes a huge blow without Harden. Furthermore, drama surrounding a player and the front office can really take a toll on a team and the Sixers know this feeling all too well as they had a similar standoff with Ben Simmons in 2022. In addition to that, the Cavs and Sixers played each other very closely this past season and that was with Harden.
Now that the Cavaliers have a deeper team, guys like Darius Garland and Evan Mobley poised to take the next step in their development, and incumbent superstar Donovan Mitchell, they are now all of a sudden the best team in the group. They have the most complete roster, and the other teams in the group are a tier below them. If the Sixers cannot kiss and make up with Harden, the Cavs become the favorites to win the group and they should win it as well.
Reason No. 2: Cleveland’s defense
The one thing the Cavs have been able to rely on for much of the past two seasons is their defense. This past season, they finished with the best defense in the NBA, and they held the New York Knicks to 99.6 points per game in their five-game series.
The defense is anchored by Evan Mobley, who was the youngest finalist ever for Defensive Player of the Year, and is a strong candidate to win the award this year. Mobley has already established himself as one of the best rim protectors in the NBA due to his length, and versatility in the paint and on the perimeter.
The Cavs also have Jarrett Allen, who is also one of the best rim protectors in the NBA, and will have a chip on his shoulder this season after getting pushed around by Knicks center Mitchell Robinson during the playoffs. In addition to Frobley, the Cavs have Isaac Okoro, who despite his shooting struggles, is the best perimeter defender on the roster, and Caris LeVert, who has improved greatly on defense since coming to Cleveland. Even Mitchell and Garland have bought in defensively and have become average defenders.
The Cavaliers do not have many defensive liabilities on this roster, and after finishing near the top of the league in defense the past two seasons, expect them to do that again. Their defense will take them far in the tournament and will lead them to finishing atop the group.
Reason No. 3: The Cavs have the most to prove
Out of all the teams at the top of the Eastern Conference, it can be argued that the Cavs have the most to prove. 50-win teams that get homecourt advantage do not typically lose in five games in the first round. While Cleveland did not have much playoff experience last season, they have no excuses this year and the team knows that. They know that they have to improve, or they will look much different in 2024. Teams with a lot to prove usually play with an extra edge and more resolve. Those are two qualities this Cavs team has.
They had the most comeback wins in the NBA last season for a reason. An in-season tournament like this is the closest it’ll get to a playoff-like atmosphere before the real postseason begins next April. They can use this tournament as a stepping stone and an opportunity to show the NBA world that they are here to compete for a title this season. Expect them to come out with urgency and take advantage of their weaker group.
The motto for the Cavs this season: no excuses. This team has all it needs to not only win their group, but compete for a championship. Anything less than that should be looked at as a failure.
However, I expect them to respond to last season’s failure with a vengeance and put the league on notice this season.