Next 7 games: good measuring stick

[Pioneer10]

Toronto
@OKC
@NO
Charlotte
Atlanta
Brooklyn
Memphis

Every team gets up for playing us now but all these except Charlotte will be against solid or better teams with Memphis looking like a title contender. Would be awesome to sweep the next 7 or just one loss.

 

[Simmy]

Very challenging stretch. Am I crazy to say that I'm happy to go 4-3 as an absolute minimum expectation?

I feel like Toronto are going to come out really hard against us tomorrow night with the fact that they were really stretched in last night's game that went into OT. This one could go either way.

OKC are still getting into their groove with the return of KD and although they have a lot to prove, I still say we shut them down in this one.

My big concerns are with games @NO (AD frightens me away from home), and the two games against Memphis and Atlanta. Atlanta are looking very dangerous and are currently the only other team besides us and the Clippers to be on a 7+ game winning streak. Plus, they owe us one for our lights-out shooting a few weeks back.

Either way, the next 7 games are going to tell as a lot about where this team is at and how they plan on carrying this winning streak against some very robust opposition.

 

[CleveRocks]

Toronto, Atlanta, Memphis.. those are the tough ones. Other losses will be effort related..

We have really turned up the defense. James in particular has an opponent PER of 8...I think everyone has noticed Jones offensive efficiency, but he is also playing some excellent defense. Getting Delly back is not going to make that worse..

I think on any given night, James can deliver the win, when he feels like carrying the team. I think his change in energy level in front of the prince and princess is evidence enough. But I think he is still looking for the other guys to turn it up, so it would not surprise me to see a few less focused nights from him along the way.

Growth will be keeping the defense going, ie limiting the other teams under 100 during the entire stretch. That alone will deliver four wins. Getting offensive production and solid D from the bench is the other key, as it will limit minutes by the big three and keep legs fresh.

 

[Rich]

Toronto, Atlanta, Memphis.. those are the tough ones. Other losses will be effort related..

We have really turned up the defense. James in particular has an opponent PER of 8...I think everyone has noticed Jones offensive efficiency, but he is also playing some excellent defense. Getting Delly back is not going to make that worse..

I think on any given night, James can deliver the win, when he feels like carrying the team. I think his change in energy level in front of the prince and princess is evidence enough. But I think he is still looking for the other guys to turn it up, so it would not surprise me to see a few less focused nights from him along the way.

Growth will be keeping the defense going, ie limiting the other teams under 100 during the entire stretch. That alone will deliver four wins. Getting offensive production and solid D from the bench is the other key, as it will limit minutes by the big three and keep legs fresh.

You realize OKC has Kevin Durant and Westbrook back? If ever there was a team whose record didn't reflect reality, they're it.

 

[priceFTW]

All the games sans the Charlotte game are tough; 4-3 with no blowouts would be pretty good and anything better would be great.

 

[Cavatt]

Memphis is tough, really tough. All those others are threats but I am really interested to see how they play against the best front court in the league and if The Cavs will be able to crack that defense. Can they find the open man?

 

[RedBlackAttack]

All the games sans the Charlotte game are tough; 4-3 with no blowouts would be pretty good and anything better would be great.

Charlotte's frontcourt will be a serious challenge for this team. Don't let their rough start fool you. They still present serious matchup problems with Big Al.

 

[wremy]

actually I was looking at our next 8.. we have a 5 game homestand that ends with Minny after the 2 game road trip.. I think we beat Tor tonight and then split on the 2 game road trip.. come back home and win 4 of 5 if not all 5 .. I'm calling 7-1 or 6-2 at the worstover the next 8...... put us on pace for about 60 W's

 

[kookoo]

I'm so glad Delly is back. All the opposing team point guards scare the shit out of me. If we were playing Golden State and the Clippers, this would be the toughest defensive stretch for any point guard ever.

 

[Douglar]

Ya'll have 8 hours to get your votes in on the poll I added to the thread.

 

[KI4MVP]

All the games sans the Charlotte game are tough; 4-3 with no blowouts would be pretty good and anything better would be great.

the goal this year isn't good or even great, it's to be dominant. Anything less than 6-1 and we still have a ways to go, especially since 5 of the 7 games are at home.

A big win tonight and we should move to 1st in the east in the computer power rankings.

http://espn.go.com/nba/hollinger/powerrankings

 

[Zen]

Every team gets up for playing us now but all these except Charlotte will be against solid or better teams with Memphis looking like a title contender. Would be awesome to sweep the next 7 or just one loss.

This reminds me of people in the pre-season prediction thread saying we would win 65+ games =p.

Nothing wrong with being a dreamer though, If we sweep that tough of a schedule I think you will see a lot of cavs fans running around in the snow helicopter dicking outside of the Q

 

[KI4MVP]

while winning 65 games was unrealistic given all of the changes with the roster, expecting the team to eventually playing like a 65 win team is certainly reasonable given all of the talent on the roster. This next 7 games is certainly a good measuring stick to see where our team really is right now.

I voted 5 wins because that's the line were I'd be disappointed with less wins and thrilled with more wins.

 

[Man Called X]

Undefeated the rest of the season.

 

[Adam]

I think if they win 5 they will have made the next step as a team defensively. They will have some games where they aren't scoring and they will need stops. If they play with consistent effort each game I will be really impressed with Blatt's ability to run the team