Cleveland Cavaliers

2006-07 record: 50-32 2^nd in the Central

Added: Devin Brown, Demetris Nichols, Cedric Simmons, Anthony Tolliver

Lost: Scot Pollard, David Wesley

PG: Daniel Gibson, Damon Jones, Eric Snow

SG: Larry Hughes, Devin Brown, Shannon Brown,

SF: LeBron James, Sasha Pavlovic, Demetris Nichols

PF: Drew Gooden, Donyell Marshall, Cedric Simmons, Anderson Varejao (unsigned)

C: Zydrunas Ilgauskas, Dwayne Jones, Anthony Tolliver

Versus Bulls

2006-07

Away Thurs. November 9, L 94-113

Home Sat. December 30, W 103-96

Away Thurs. February 22, L 78-84

Home Sat. March 31, L 108-112 OT

2007-08

Away Sun. March 2, 12PM

Home Thurs. March 6, 6PM

Away Thurs. April 3, 7PM

Home Fri. April 11, 6PM

Overview:How good is LeBron James? Dumb question, right? I know how good he is, I was a witness to what he did to the Nets and Pistons. The reason I ask is because he led a mediocre supporting cast through the East to the Finals last year, and now has to try again with even less help. Don’t get me wrong, I think Devin Brown can give them some offense. Once upon a time, I thought Cedric Simmons had potential to eventually be an NBA player when he was at NC State. As far as I’m concerned, Demetris Nichols was better than a 2^nd round pick, and certainly good enough to make the Knicks. They aren’t difference makers. While I completely understand the Cavaliers reluctance to give Sasha Pavlovic and Anderson Varejao huge long term contracts when they aren’t that good, it isn’t as if they have the depth to where they can let them go. Eventually Pavlovic relented, and he’ll probably be back to normal by December. My guess is Varejao will soon as well, but that is not a guarantee. They might have to go an extended period of time without him. And if LeBron has to repeat last year’s effort minus Anderson Varejao, still without a true point guard, and an aging Zydrunas Ilgauskas, and succeeds, then the East just has to tip their hat and LeBron their daddy and concede the next three years to him. Maybe he’ll give the East a chance again by opting out and heading west.

I’m not sure, however, if the Cavaliers can repeat last year’s performance. I don’t think that they have the overall talent and depth to get to 50 wins again. It is highly unlikely that a team will be so injury-ravaged to where Cleveland will get a 1^st round bye again. I think that there are six or seven improved teams in the East, and only time will tell how many of them passed by Cleveland. Right now, it is possible that the Pistons, Bulls, Celtics, Nets and Magic are better than them with the Heat, Raptors, Knicks, and Wizards either right there with them or just on their heels. It isn’t out of the question that should Cleveland lose Gibson, Hughes, or Gooden for some period of the season that they completely fall out of the playoffs. That can’t happen, right? We all know how incredible LeBron James is… right?

What they mean for the Bulls?

With all the turmoil they had with getting Pavlovic into camp, and Varejao still yet to sign, the Cavaliers will probably get off to a slow start. Eventually they will come around. Unfortunately for the Bulls, they don’t see the Cavs on the schedule until March. Even if Varejao sits out the whole year, Cleveland will figure out how to replace him by March, so the turmoil does not figure to benefit the Bulls any. Also interesting is that every one of the games this year is going to be on national television. While anyone who saw some of the gems last year would understand why the networks picked up this year’s  games, I can’t recall the last time every game between divisional opponents was broadcast nationally. I guess it speaks to the drawing power of LeBron and the Bulls.

Leave a Reply