Which team in the west is the biggest threat to the Cavs?

[brownsbuck6]

Golden State... all day long.

It's the only team on the list that can really pour on points in extremely short periods of time. It's the only team in the league that could beat us, even on our best day, no matter what we do.

Curry and Thompson are a lethal combination.

Unlike Mike Brown, Blatt adjusted. His defensive assignments and the system we ran during last nights game where by all measure, simply perfect.

I have confidence that Blatt can coach this team to victory; that LeBron is ready to become the most beloved sports icon in Cleveland history; and that Kyrie can be that 1b scoring option on a nightly basis. We've got the pieces to do it, to beat any team in the league in 7 games.

It's just that GSW has the ability to explode on any given night and put games simply out of reach, in a span of just a few minutes.

I wouldn't ever count out Golden State. Even last night, with a 15-point lead for much of the game, announcers and some of us here on RCF stated openly, this game is anything but over.

You make some good points, but I do not agree with your assertion that the Warriors can beat us 'on our best day'. On our best day, IMO, NO ONE can beat the Cavs. No one. Now, anything less than our best day and absolutely that team can beat the Cavs. They are scary good. But so is our team.

 

[Cavatt]

Golden states bench is the best in the league. Any of those guys get hot in addition to a couple staters...

Dallas is the other one. Carlisle is the 2nd best NBA coach IMO. Underrated off and def balance on that team as well. What if Rondo get going?

Spurs are never out, but it isn't looking good for them.

 

[Jack Brickman]

Oklahoma City will always scare me because they have two of the top ten guys in the NBA. Their coach is garbage, but Durant and Westbrook can win you games by themselves. I think we could beat them, but any team with two guys like their top two is going to be tough.

Memphis I think is the toughest match-up for us. They've got the toughness and defensive identity to not buckle under physical play like Golden State did last night.

I'm not really worried about Golden State. I don't think they'll make the Finals and I think we'd beat them if we matched up with them.

The Spurs are always threatening, and you can never really count them out. Still, just something about them seems like this might be the year they finally fall off.

No one else is really on my radar. Dallas has great coaching, but I think the Rondo trade submarined any hope they might have had of coming out of the West. Portland is a paper tiger. The Clippers are a bunch of whiny bitches that we could handle any day of the week. Houston isn't going to make the Finals.

I think that's everyone.

 

[gourimoko]

You make some good points, but I do not agree with your assertion that the Warriors can beat us 'on our best day'. On our best day, IMO, NO ONE can beat the Cavs. No one. Now, anything less than our best day and absolutely that team can beat the Cavs. They are scary good. But so is our team.

What I mean by the "best day" comment is that the Warriors, on their best day, are putting up more points than we are. They're simply outscoring us.

I think they're offense is less reliable than ours as it's more reliant on jumpshooting and less so on points in the paint (Kyrie / LeBron), but at the same time, if they get lucky and go on a run, I can't see any team in the league keeping up with them.

 

[brownsbuck6]

What I mean by the "best day comment" is that the Warriors, on their best day, are putting up more points than we are. They're simply outscoring us.

I think they're offense is less reliable than ours as it's more reliant on jumpshooting and less so on points in the paint (Kyrie / LeBron), but at the same time, if they get lucky and go on a run, I can't see any team in the league keeping up with them.

I feel as though you simply rephrased what you said the first time. On THEIR best day yes they of course beat us on a not best day for the Cavs. What I was responding to was you said even on OUR best day they could still win. Basically, you're saying their best day >>> our best day. Or, that's what you said anyway, very clearly. You even added in a "no matter what we do". And I whole-heartedly disagree.

 

[Randolphkeys]

I wish Atlanta and Indiana were included in the poll. I don't think the East is a gimmie.

The Warriors are much tougher to beat at home. The Grizzlies are tough but there will be less of a jet lag/home crowd concern. And, Popovich is Popovich, never go with what you see in the regular season.

 

[gourimoko]

I feel as though you simply rephrased what you said the first time. On THEIR best day yes they of course beat us on a not best day for the Cavs. What I was responding to was you said even on OUR best day they could still win. Basically, you're saying their best day > then our best day. Or, that's what you said anyway, very clearly. You even added in a "no matter what we do". And I whole-heartedly disagree.

Yep, you got it..

I think that on their best day, they are better than us on our best day. If we're basically taking luck out of the equation, and saying everyone is lucky today, I think their team is built to win-out. That's why they scare me.

I think the Cavaliers, in order to win, have to really play solid defense; particularly at the 3-pt line. Get in Curry's throat... neutralize him, and then force Klay to take fadeaways and try to create for himself.

Give them nothing.

But, leaving this "Best Day" distraction aside, I think the Cavaliers are the favorites against any team in a seven game series, even without home court advantage.

 

[brownsbuck6]

Yep, you got it..

I think that on their best day, they are better than us on our best day. If we're basically taking luck out of the equation, and saying everyone is lucky today, I think their team is built to win-out. That's why they scare me.

I think the Cavaliers, in order to win, have to really play solid defense; particularly at the 3-pt line. Get in Curry's throat... neutralize him, and then force Klay to take fadeaways and try to create for himself.

Give them nothing.

But, leaving this "Best Day" distraction aside, I think the Cavaliers are the favorites against any team in a seven game series, even without home court advantage.

Guess you confuse me, how you can say that about the best day stuff but then favor the Cavs in a series. If one teams best is better than another team's in your mind (no matter who the two teams are..) - then doesn't it stand to reason you just feel that team is simply better? I mean, if you do, that's fine- it's certainly a defendable position. Golden State is TOUGH.

 

[jlegg21]

Golden State and OKC are absolutely terrifying...

 

[Ohio]

So if Golden State shoots 80% from three throughout the playoffs, they'll be Champions.

 

[Pioneer10]

Lebron owns OKC. He takes the matchup with Durant personally so I doubt we lost to them. Plus Loves gives us someone who can pull Ibaka out of the lane and if they play Kanter big minutes we're going to PnR them to death. On the perimeter, we can throw Lebron, Shump, Irving, Smith, Delly, and hopefully a healthy Marion on Durant and Westbrook. We just match up them well

Honestly GS is still our biggest concern, like us they have too many great shooters to keep bottled up on a consistent basis and they have a lot of bodies to throw at Lebron/Love/Irving.

I wouldn't count out Memphis post JefF Green but they haven't looked dominant and while defensively they have a lot of bodies I still don't they have enough scoring from the wing to really take a full 7 game series

 

[Adam]

Almost every team in the west is scary, but i think thats just because i dont trust the cavs have enough experience. As they go through this tough schedule and get some adversity i'll start to belive they can go all the way. I just think you have to lose together before you can really win together

 

[jlegg21]

Lebron owns OKC. He takes the matchup with Durant personally so I doubt we lost to them. Plus Loves gives us someone who can pull Ibaka out of the lane and if they play Kanter big minutes we're going to PnR them to death. On the perimeter, we can throw Lebron, Shump, Irving, Smith, Delly, and hopefully a healthy Marion on Durant and Westbrook. We just match up them well

Honestly GS is still our biggest concern, like us they have too many great shooters to keep bottled up on a consistent basis and they have a lot of bodies to throw at Lebron/Love/Irving.

I wouldn't count out Memphis post JefF Green but they haven't looked dominant and while defensively they have a lot of bodies I still don't they have enough scoring from the wing to really take a full 7 game series

Umm... if "February Westbrook" shows up in June, and Durant gets healthy, and Ibaka plays well... I guess I dont see them as a fun match up in any way shape or form. Durant's health will probably determine whether the escape the West, but no team wants to see them in the playoffs.

I mean, Westbrook has been as unguardable as Lebron has ever been over the last ten games. He would eat guys like Delly and Smith for breakfast.

 

[Cavsfan161]

Grizzles
Spurs
Warriors
Okc

 

[blommen]

Memphis scares the everloving shit out of me for some reason. They are so damned physical and have been to the playoffs so many times that they are pretty much the perfect post-season team. they'll get in your face, they'll beat you up, and they'll be smart about it. definitely wouldn't be happy with meeting them in the finals.