“Every great team has a metronome,” Frye said last month. That’s what former Cavaliers center/forward Channing Frye called 6-foot-11 center Jarrett Allen, a key piece as the Cavs build a playoff contender from the ashes of LeBron James’ 2018 departure.
He's got a legacy to grow.The Brooklyn Nets probably would give anything to have their “metronome” back. If it can be done, James is the guy to pull it off, MVP trophy or not. So James has to somehow, someway navigate this group through the playoffs, first against young and hungry Indiana and then likely against the top-seeded Raptors - and that's just to get to the Eastern Conference finals. After James and Love, it's going to be basketball-by-committee because they no longer have that reliable scorer like Irving. Simply put, they're not as good as they've been during LeBron's second run with the Cavs.
Point guard George Hill has been to the playoffs eight times, twice meeting James in the Eastern Conference finals in 20, but has never played for an NBA championship.
CAVS ROSTER SERIES
Jose Calderon has never played beyond the first round, and Jeff Green has been a part of just two playoff series wins in his career. Rodney Hood played for Utah last year, but struggled in the postseason, shooting 26 percent on 3-pointers and just 35 percent overall.Īs for the veterans, playoff success has been hard to come by. The newcomers are light on playoff experience.Ĭedi Osmon is a rookie, while backups Jordan Clarkson and Larry Nance Jr. Kevin Love has been more efficient, but a bit less productive compared to last season.
Kyle Korver is still a knock-down shooter, but his regular season numbers dipped from 48 percent to 44 percent from the arc. Smith is no longer a consistent double-digit scorer. Tristan Thompson is coming off his worst season ever. It's not even the team that went to the Finals last season. on ABC.Īs the pieces came into place late in the season, the Cavs were a heartening 11-3 heading into the postseason.īut this isn't the team that won a title two years ago. The path to 16 playoff wins starts at home Sunday at 3:30 p.m.
CAVS ROSTER FREE
Finally, head coach Tyronn Lue - sick all season - had to miss two weeks late in the year to deal with his health.Īnd despite the turmoil and upheaval, James still put up MVP-caliber numbers with 27.5 points, 9.1 assists, 8.6 rebounds, 1.4 steals, 54 percent shooting, 37 percent 3-point shooting and 73 percent free throw shooting - without going into the weeds of advanced metrics - and has the Cavs as an Eastern Conference favorite despite a No. The remade roster got re-remade at the trade deadline. The locker room, kindly put, was dysfunctional. Sure, every year is seemingly a soap opera script, but this year was truly over the top. However, this might be a tough ask of James. Because at this point in his career, it's all about legacy and adding to it. So if James isn't adding a fifth MVP trophy to match Michael Jordan's career haul, then he needs to make an eighth straight trip to the NBA Finals and try to win a fourth championship. Also, at the age of 33, he played in all 82 regular season games for the first time in his career.
CAVS ROSTER PLUS
The ageless James averaged more points, rebounds and assists, plus shot better from the field and the 3-point arc than his career averages. The fickle NBA media have deemed it is James Hardin's time, so the Houston guard will likely get LeBron's trophy later this spring. CLEVELAND - LeBron James may be the king, but he's going to be the uncrowned MVP this season.
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