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Is a ring this year possible?

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NBA seasons are long.

Boston was something like 18 wins and 21 losses at a point last year.

So there’s plenty of time for the teams that don’t look so good to improve and the teams that look good to cool off.

Seeding matters. Matchups matter.

But I think the Cavs starting 5 is as good as anyone’s to be honest and who knows.

Enjoy the ride
 
I would temper the expectations for this team. As great as Mitchell has been, he has also not gotten out of the 2nd round of the playoffs. Garland, Mobley, and a lot of the younger roster haven't made the playoffs in their career. Allen has made the playoffs but they won one game in 2019 and got sweep in 2020.

The game is very different in the playoffs. There is a lot more forward scouting and game planning. Coaching also needs to be good at making quick adjustments.

They will make the playoffs but I think it's going to be a learning experience. Mitchell should be able to make any series we go into a competitive one which should also make the experience that much more valuable to the younger players.

We were kind of spoiled by Lebron's ability to will us to playoff series wins in his second stint here. No one else can really do that on a consistent bases like he did for those 4 years.
 
Alec said:
Health is crucial. I also think they’ll need to make a trade to rearrangement the wing + role player situation a bit.

Otherwise, yes, this team should make some noise and make at least the second round.
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Yes lack of health is what put us in the play in. Last year without DM we were a top five EC team before the injuries hit us. We stay healthy and I see at least a trip to the ECFs!
 
Not to be a negative nelly, but if you look at NBA history teams like our team this year do not win championships. We are a young, freshly formed team that has never even made the playoffs. We added a top 15 player in the league, not a top five player or a guy who has proven MVP level achievement. In addition to being a high level all-star rather than a top five MVP caliber player, Mitchell is a 6’2 shooting guard, which is not typically the type of player who is the best player on a championship team - Jordan was a shooting guard but he was a 6’6 defensive monster.

The championship formula in the NBA is pretty clear - take an MVP level forward or center, surround them with costars and supporting parts, have them gel for 1-2 years of playoff struggles, and eventually get a championship. Not 100%, especially in recent years with super teams being formed from scratch, but that’s usually how it works

The closest analogy to us this year would IMO be the 2021 Suns. Young team, losing record the previous year, led by a shooting guard (albeit Booker is much taller than Mitchell), came out of nowhere to almost win the championship. But I’m not entirely sure who our Chris Paul would be
 
Cement said:
How the hell does 538 have the Cavs projected record 49-33?

That would mean we would have to go 43-32 the rest of the season.

projects.fivethirtyeight.com

2022-23 NBA Predictions

FiveThirtyEight’s NBA forecast projects the winner of each game and predicts each team's chances of advancing to the playoffs and winning the NBA finals.
projects.fivethirtyeight.com projects.fivethirtyeight.com
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That means they're not paying attention to this season. That's probably all based upon last year's numbers WITHOUT Donovan.

I find 538 tends to be rather mechanistic without understanding where their numbers come from.
 
cavsfever said:
Not to be a negative nelly, but if you look at NBA history teams like our team this year do not win championships. We are a young, freshly formed team that has never even made the playoffs. We added a top 15 player in the league, not a top five player or a guy who has proven MVP level achievement. In addition to being a high level all-star rather than a top five MVP caliber player, Mitchell is a 6’2 shooting guard, which is not typically the type of player who is the best player on a championship team - Jordan was a shooting guard but he was a 6’6 defensive monster.

The championship formula in the NBA is pretty clear - take an MVP level forward or center, surround them with costars and supporting parts, have them gel for 1-2 years of playoff struggles, and eventually get a championship. Not 100%, especially in recent years with super teams being formed from scratch, but that’s usually how it works

The closest analogy to us this year would IMO be the 2021 Suns. Young team, losing record the previous year, led by a shooting guard (albeit Booker is much taller than Mitchell), came out of nowhere to almost win the championship. But I’m not entirely sure who our Chris Paul would be
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"But I’m not entirely sure who our Chris Paul would be"

Are you serious? Obviously Garland. He isn't yet at CP's HoF level, but he fills the role.

That said, our frontcourt is better than Phoenix's. And I think Mitchell is better than Booker.
 
bigfoot5415 said:
IMO, we will be Milwaukees toughest challenge. We can throw multiple guys at Giannis to rack up the fouls and have the length to give him tough looks. I would worry about our guards getting there's against a bigger Milwaukee club.

Not saying I'd wanna play them but I'd give us a punchers chance.
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Ima just say for the record i DONT want Milwaukee. I’d rather take Philly in a series. There is NO answer for what Giannis does.
 
jjvors said:
"But I’m not entirely sure who our Chris Paul would be"

Are you serious? Obviously Garland. He isn't yet at CP's HoF level, but he fills the role.

That said, our frontcourt is better than Phoenix's. And I think Mitchell is better than Booker.
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Yeah I was thinking of CP3 as a hall of fame level veteran as opposed to just a great PG. but you are right Garland is a budding great PG - not at CP3’s level but growing all the time

What the Suns had that we don’t is some very good SFs
 
I honestly think so. How good this team is already playing and they are barely getting started.

Especially if a trade opportunity arises to add another good role player on the cheap, I feel like we could put serious pressure on some teams.

They are right there and no expectations as a first year team. So much potential and a pretty well rounded roster.
 
Kizzle said:
Ima just say for the record i DONT want Milwaukee. I’d rather take Philly in a series. There is NO answer for what Giannis does.
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Oh 100%, but I do think it would be a lot closer than what people perceive.
 
Kizzle said:
Ima just say for the record i DONT want Milwaukee. I’d rather take Philly in a series. There is NO answer for what Giannis does.
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Funny enough I think we defended Giannis last year a hell of a lot better than we defended Embiid. Maxey also goes off against us every time. And Harden draws a billion fouls against us.

Milwaukee is way better than Philly. But Philly is just a worse matchup for us imo. Playoffs are a different animal though to be fair.
 
This team needs to show me 3 things before I consider an NBA finals:

1. It can stay healthy.

2. It can win a playoff series.

3. It can match-up with a fully healthy Milwaukee and a fully healthy Boston (with Robert Williams) in ways that are strategic and not happenstance.
 
cavsfever said:
Not to be a negative nelly, but if you look at NBA history teams like our team this year do not win championships. We are a young, freshly formed team that has never even made the playoffs. We added a top 15 player in the league, not a top five player or a guy who has proven MVP level achievement. In addition to being a high level all-star rather than a top five MVP caliber player, Mitchell is a 6’2 shooting guard, which is not typically the type of player who is the best player on a championship team - Jordan was a shooting guard but he was a 6’6 defensive monster.

The championship formula in the NBA is pretty clear - take an MVP level forward or center, surround them with costars and supporting parts, have them gel for 1-2 years of playoff struggles, and eventually get a championship. Not 100%, especially in recent years with super teams being formed from scratch, but that’s usually how it works

The closest analogy to us this year would IMO be the 2021 Suns. Young team, losing record the previous year, led by a shooting guard (albeit Booker is much taller than Mitchell), came out of nowhere to almost win the championship. But I’m not entirely sure who our Chris Paul would be
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GSW debunks your formula
 
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