The Cleveland Cavaliers pushed through in the Eastern Conference last season before ultimately falling to the eventual NBA champions. Now, after a couple of years of not having to worry about Giannis Antetokounmpo, he's officially back in the fold.
As expected, the Greek Freak left the Milwaukee Bucks to play for an actual contender. And while there were some initial doubts about his fit next to Bam Adebayo, the first returns of the new-look Miami Heat are officially scary.
Giannis didn't miss a shot in 14 minutes, and he looked comfortable and in full sync with his new teammates. It was just a preseason game, but it looks like Erik Spoelstra's team will be a thorn in the Cavs' side.
The Cavaliers might have a matchup problem with the Heat
Adding Peyton Watson to the mix gives Kenny Atkinson another defensive player to match up with Giannis at times. Between him and Evan Mobley should handle the bulk of the work when they have to play Antetokounmpo.
But then, that leaves Jarrett Allen on an island against Bam Adebayo. Bam can put the ball on the floor and move to the perimeter, though he's not a shooter, but he's got the strength advantage over the Cavaliers' rim protector.
Antetokounmpo will have two reliable floor-spacers for his drive-and-kicks. Andrew Wiggins and Klay Thompson won a ring together and were teammates for years; they already know one another pretty well and can shoot the rock like the best of them. With subpar defenders like Donovan Mitchell and James Harden, that'll put additional pressure on whoever's not on Giannis.
Last but not least, Erik Spoelstra is probably the most underrated tactician in the game. He's a master of finding and developing players who would probably struggle elsewhere, and his prowess with BLOB and SLOB plays is second to none. With all due respect to everyone else, Giannis has never played for a coach like Spoelstra.
Of course, they still have to get on the floor and prove that they're as good as anticipated when it actually counts. But if the first taste of preseason action is an omen of what's to come, this team might be in trouble.
The Cavaliers are, undeniably, a better team than they were last season. The only problem is that the Heat, Philadelphia 76ers, Indiana Pacers, and Toronto Raptors will also be significantly improved. So much for that 'weak' Eastern Conference narrative.
Add us as a preferred source on Google