Lowe and Simmons did their League Pass Rankings yesterday. The Cavs came in at numero uno. Here's the text:
Lowe: You’re practically giddy over David Blatt.
Simmons: I like NBA coaches who (a) try shit, and (b)
give Grantland interviews. I’m that easy.
Lowe: I’ve said enough about these guys. They are going to be dynamite to watch. A big man like Kevin Love — someone with legit range who can pass, screen and dribble — is a dream toy for Blatt.
Simmons: And LeBron! In 11 years, LeBron played with only one elite player who made him better: Dwyane Wade in 2011 and most of 2012 before he slowly turned into Heavier, Moodier, Not-As-Good Dwyane Wade. Kevin Love will make LeBron better every single game. Remember, LeBron has never — not in his entire life — played with a great rebounder, a great outlet passer, or a great pick-and-roll forward. Never. Not ever. I can’t wait to watch them. I want to upgrade my score to a perfect 50. Is it too late?
Lowe: You’re short-changing Bosh as a pick-and-pop guy who gave LeBron space to work and defended his tail off in Miami.
Simmons: Bosh was a very good pick-and-pop partner for LeBron. Love could be a GREAT pick-and-pop partner for LeBron. That’s my defense.
Lowe: Regardless, it will be fascinating to see how democratic the Cavs can really make their offense, how they upgrade their roster, and how Blatt manages his defense. Blatt is talking about switching up tactics depending on matchups and lineups. That kind of toggling has gone out of style. Coaches have gravitated toward “Pick one system, drill it to death and execute it.” Going against the grain is risky, especially with so many younger guys who aren’t good at defense.
Simmons: And what happens when Varejao gets hurt? If anyone out there thinks the Cavs are getting 100 games out of Anderson Varejao over the next eight months, I have some Pets.com stock to sell you. These guys still need a rim protector, but I think they know it.
Lowe: They get the top spot in spite of the ugliest uniform/court design combination in the league. That’s how excited we are for these guys. I can hear Austin Carr cackling from 500 miles away.
Simmons: I didn’t love their other offseason moves. Shawn Marion looked just about done as a playoff guy last year. Same for Ray Allen (if they get him). Mike Miller is a beloved teammate, but you might get one good playoff game per round from him. James Jones … blah. Brendan Haywood … blah. But you know which two moves I really liked? When they landed the league’s best player and the league’s second-best power forward.
Lowe: The cascading series of lucky breaks they needed to pull all that off, starting with the location of LeBron’s birth, is legitimately unbelievable.
Simmons: One other thing — every 2015 Cavs home game is going to be appointment viewing. Even the ones against Philly and Utah. Everyone forgets how fantastic their home games were in 2009 and 2010, how much energy ripped through that building every night, and how LeBron always seemed to feed off his hometown peeps. They went 39-2 at home in 2009 with inferior talent, a clueless coach and a roster that couldn’t do 40 percent of the stuff that this 2015 Cavs team can do. These LeBron 2.0 home games are going to be a borderline religious experience. I really believe that. It’s just one of many reasons why they’re our 2015 League Pass champs.
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And here are the links to the two articles:
http://grantland.com/the-triangle/the-annual-nba-league-pass-rankings-part-1/
http://grantland.com/the-triangle/the-annual-nba-league-pass-rankings-part-2/
Some good stuff there. Enjoy.