Is a ring this year possible?

[The Wizard of Moz]

The Celtics showed they were better by going 7 games against a Milwaukee team with no Middleton? Not seeing that. Feel like the Bucks would be back-to-back champs right now if Middleton was healthy.

Don’t think they would have held a candle to the warriors if they made it there

I think the Bucks are being severely overrated

 

[Triplethreat]

Don’t think they would have held a candle to the warriors if they made it there

I think the Bucks are being severely overrated

I surely don't.

A healthy Middleton takes them to another level. Giannis has been playing the best ball of his entire career.

He's an all-time great, and the best player in the NBA and it's not close.

 

[Nphan]

If everyone stay healthy, absolutely.

The bucks are the best team in the NBA and i think with Allen and Mobley down there, we have the best chance out of any team in the NBA to slow him down.

Nobody on the Bucks is stopping the Garland & Mitchell combo.

 

[The Wizard of Moz]

I surely don't.

A healthy Middleton takes them to another level. Giannis has been playing the best ball of his entire career.

He's an all-time great, and the best player in the NBA and it's not close.

I know it’ll rack up the laugh reacts but for my money Steph, LeBron, and Durant are all better

Giannis is the most unique superstar of all time, but he’s also the worst shooting superstar in the NBA currently. I think the Bucks are a very exploitable team. There’s a reason they have all of 1 championship and it was against a team of toddlers

You guys are talking about them like they’re the 2016 Cavs or something. They’re very beatable and I don’t expect them to win the finals this year with or without the Cavs stopping them. I think Golden state is just better

 

[Boobie4Three]

I have concerns JB doesn't have the discipline to sit his stars. This season is a marathon and he's playing our big dogs like it's a mile run. This will prove to be detrimental in the long run, though a title is certainly possible now. Lebron knew how to play the long season. Mitchell plays too hard, so it's on JB to limit his minutes and keep him in check. While we love the passion, there's only so much in the tank over 82 and ~100 games with playoffs. There's a reason Utah didn't get out of the second round. I bet Mitchell was just frankly spent carrying a massive load. Of course those statement wins in OT against the Celts were definitely worth it. If we can start blowing out teams then the rest will come. It's a delicate balance. We want our guys fresh come the 'offs.

 

[jjvors]

If they somehow get to the Finals I'd say they have a better chance than their first Finals appearance against the Spurs with lebron.

Low bar, my friend.

 

[Peacedog]

Yes, the season is early, so sample size is small, and this all means little (of course most of the board has used the first 7 games to conclude Isaac Okoro will never be a useful player for the Cavs).

But the Cavs have played the 2nd toughest schedule in the league so far (behind only the Celtics) while the Bucks have played the easiest.

 

[adam81king]

Yes, the season is early, so sample size is small, and this all means little (of course most of the board has used the first 7 games to conclude Isaac Okoro will never be a useful player for the Cavs).

But the Cavs have played the 2nd toughest schedule in the league so far (behind only the Celtics) while the Bucks have played the easiest.

This is why the, "theyve played an easy schedule" idea didnt make sense to me.

Toronto, Boston 2x, Washington, a tough Orlando, etc might not be murderers row, but its not the Washington Generals, either.

Can they win a ring this year? Yes.

Will they win a ring this year? Very unlikely.

I think a more likely outcome is the 2022-23 Cavaliers being like the 2021-22 Memphis Grizzlies, or have a playoff run like the 2020-21 Atlanta Hawks.

 

[Cassity14]

Both the Celtics and Bucks would be a really tough out over 7 games. Philly is good but I think the Cavs are better.

My dream is to see this crew go toe to toe with one of the other great teams in the postseason, win or lose. I want them to feel what deep playoff basketball in Cleveland is like.

 

[Randolphkeys]

You guys are talking about them like they’re the 2016 Cavs or something. They’re very beatable and I don’t expect them to win the finals this year with or without the Cavs stopping them. I think Golden state is just better

Very few people on this board are stuck talking Golden State as much as I am. Among the fanbase sample with whom I interact, the blind arrogance is starting to fade.

Was Golden State the best team going into the playoffs last year? Yes, no doubt in my mind... but this is a different team.

Losing GP2, Toscano-Anderson and especially Porter decimated the bench. Poole is still around and on that big contract, but he is off to a rough start because the young guys like Wiseman, Kuminga, and Moody are playing with a nonchalant low motor. They lost the "hustlers" from the role players and replaced them with high picks with great traits... but not much history as winners.

 

[adam81king]

Very few people on this board are stuck talking Golden State as much as I am. Among the fanbase sample with whom I interact, the blind arrogance is starting to fade.

Was Golden State the best team going into the playoffs last year? Yes, no doubt in my mind... but this is a different team.

Losing GP2, Toscano-Anderson and especially Porter decimated the bench. Poole is still around and on that big contract, but he is off to a rough start because the young guys like Wiseman, Kuminga, and Moody are playing with a nonchalant low motor. They lost the "hustlers" from the role players and replaced them with high picks with great traits... but not much history as winners.

As a tangent, but what does GSW look like if they had Lamelo instead of Wiseman?

 

[Walter White]

Very few people on this board are stuck talking Golden State as much as I am. Among the fanbase sample with whom I interact, the blind arrogance is starting to fade.

Was Golden State the best team going into the playoffs last year? Yes, no doubt in my mind... but this is a different team.

Losing GP2, Toscano-Anderson and especially Porter decimated the bench. Poole is still around and on that big contract, but he is off to a rough start because the young guys like Wiseman, Kuminga, and Moody are playing with a nonchalant low motor. They lost the "hustlers" from the role players and replaced them with high picks with great traits... but not much history as winners.

The injuries affected Klay pretty bad too didn’t they? Do you think they would ever move him? I don’t imagine they will re-sign Draymond.

 

[Triplethreat]

If you *don't* think the Cavs could win the title this year, then what changes in the years coming that get them there? Are you fully banking on Mobley making an absolutely massive leap?

Boston and Milwaukee aren't going anywhere.

 

[JMoneyYourHoney]

If you *don't* think the Cavs could win the title this year, then what changes in the years coming that get them there? Are you fully banking on Mobley making an absolutely massive leap?

Boston and Milwaukee aren't going anywhere.

That was my exact problem with the trade...our core guys, especially the one everybody has pegged as a future perennial MVP candidate, are far too raw to win anything in the foreseeable future.

That, and we no longer have any assets to fill the most crucial position in basketball. Can't deny that Mitchell has been fantastic and the Cavs have a very exciting outlook, but the move was premature IMO.

So to answer your question, yes, provided we get a starting-caliber wing in the future, I'm still banking on Mobley being THAT GUY for us to be bonafide contenders.

 

[Randolphkeys]

The injuries affected Klay pretty bad too didn’t they? Do you think they would ever move him? I don’t imagine they will re-sign Draymond.

Locally everyone is wrapping their heads around Draymond playing elsewhere next season. Klay divides the fanbase between the people willing to see the problems post-injury and the people who think Klay is going to bounce back.