The Cleveland Cavaliers quickly went from a team with championship aspirations to falling to 2-2 against a lesser seed. Once again, they've been rattled and outmuscled, and their frontcourt defensive duo has been nowhere to be found.
That's why, now that the Orlando Magic have climbed to a 3-1 series lead over the Detroit Pistons, Cavs fans must pray that J.B. Bickerstaff somehow, someway, manages to come back and beat them in this series.
The Pistons have looked sluggish and erratic in the first four games of the series. And, with the way the Magic defense is playing, the Cavaliers might not stand a chance to take even one game away from them.
The Orlando Magic might be a huge threat to the Cleveland Cavaliers
The Cavs still have to win two of the next three games to think about potential opponents in the following rounds. But still, as bad as they've been in the past two encounters, they should still be able to get the job done, at least on paper.
That might not be the case against Jahmal Mosley's team. They're an old-school, hard-hitting, and bruising defensive-oriented team with the size and length to create plenty of problems in switches and matchups.
Paolo Banchero has left his woes behind him in this series. He's been a proven playoff riser, and the Cavs have historically struggled to contain big-bodied wings with handles, so he can certainly give them plenty of problems.
The Magic have also turned Isaiah Stewart and Jalen Duren into non-factors for most of the series. As such, one can only wonder what they can do against softer bigs like Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen, both of whom have a long history of underperforming in big moments and against physical opposition.
Having Jalen Suggs guard James Harden or Donovan Mitchell is also a recipe for disaster. Mitchell can be easily rattled when referees allow more contact, and Harden doesn't need help regressing in the postseason.
The Pistons have their work cut out for them, but they were the better team in the regular season, so there's still some hope. The Cavs know first hand how easy it is to take Bickerstaff away from his comfort zone in the postseason, and even though Mosley seemed to be on the hot seat after losing in the Play-In Tournament, Cavs fans will have no choice but to root for their former coach, knowing that they can possibly get the best of him later.
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