Pros:
-Shaq, if he recovers, gets a chance to play in some games that don’t really mean anything and try to integrate himself with the rest of the rotation. I don’t know about you guys, but I’m not thrilled about going into the playoffs with a starting frontcourt that’s barely played together.
-Boobie and Jamario might actually get some minutes.
-Rest for LeBron and the rest of the starters. I don’t think they’ll sit more than one or two full games, but they will get a chance to rest up and be 100% fresh for the playoffs.
-Home-court advantage. If the Cavs don’t lose at the Q, they win the championship. I like the sound of that.
-2-3-2. If the Cavs manage to make the finals, their opponents will either have to beat them twice in Cleveland or win three games in a row.
-The Sundiata Gaines game, the “LEBRON, WHY DID YOU PULL UP FROM THREE THERE” game, the Denver game, and other games are officially moot with regards to the Cavs’ playoff positioning. I will sleep much better because of this fact.
-LeBron now has the MVP award all but locked up.
Cons:
-The Cavs won’t play a game that will matter for almost a month. Rust does concern me.
-What will happen to LeBron’s historic statistical dominance if he’s resting or not taking the games seriously?
-If the Cavs fail to win the title after holding the best regular-season record for two years in a row, it will trigger the hatepocalypse.
-The Cavs have a 6 game lead on Orlando, but only a .2 point lead in point differential. If the Cavs go into that series strutting, there could be some problems.
another con:
we’ll have to read ridiculous articles like “lebron refuses to play final game of cavs season! wears a yankees cap while on the sideline! clear indication of his intent to leave the cavaliers this summer and head to NY!”
Meh. It will all be alright. Cavs FTW : )
So, if you’re the Cavs and you’re approaching these next 2 games with the idea that you have a good chance to help determine your first round opponent, what do you do? Do you play hard against TOR for the win and take it easy against Chicago? The reverse? Do you play hard against both to give them each a “fair” shot at the 8th seed? Do you take it easy against both because you locked up your seed and its not worth an injury helping to decide your first round opponent?
Cavs are 2-1 (+2 avg pt diff) against TOR with one OT win. Cavs are likewise 2-1 against Chicago, but with +6.7 pt diff, all games decided in regulation. Both losses came within the first 6 games of the season, so we can probably assume CLE would have won all 3 against each opponent if their first games against one another had come after, say, game 20.
I think I may be a little more scared of Chicago’s tenacity (assuming they are full strength for the first series) despite the larger point differential the Cavs have over them. I also think it would be lame to go all out against one team and not against the other. If I were Mike Brown, I’d take it easy on both and let TOR/CHI determine their fate on April 11.
I don’t see any way in which the Cavs go into the Magic series strutting after what happened to them last year…plus there is no way they sweep the first two rounds like last year, should sweep Toronto but maybe let one slip, and definitely won’t sweep Boston/ATL. That should prevent talk of “Fo Fo Fo” and keep them fresher – those days off between the ATL series and the Magic series probably weren’t a good thing either.
I have a feeling the Cavs are going to employ their ‘iron curtain 4th quarter defense’ throughout every minute of each game in the ECF against the Magic, if both teams end up facing each other. It’s going to be an all out war, expect many technicals and hard fouls. And you just know Shaq wants to send D12 down on his keister a couple times. Seriously, has anyone ever even seen Dwight get knocked down before?
about the statistical dominance, the only part hes loosing on is PER, and really that doesnt carry a ton a weight from a historical standpoint. well see it in hollingers charts, but once the “greatest player ever” debate begins and people get over the kobe comparisons, it will be weighed in wins and championships, not new era formulas. how about kobes 30 mil a year contract? im thinking thats gonna cripple the lakers when the new cba (with a possible hard cap) comes into effect..
The Kobe contract is crazy, considering his production is already starting to fall, and he is racking up minor injuries left right and centre. I understand they don’t want to lose him, but the team they could build using that money without him would be epic. Any combination of Pau gasol, bynum, odom, artest, and a decent pair of guards would be awesome. And two excellent guards could so easily be had for 30 mill a year.
re: how to play TOR and CHI… the Cavs should just play it like any other game…if they’re actually concerned about whether they face TOR or CHI in the first round, then the Cavs aren’t nearly as good as we think they are.
Re: Kobe’s contract. Yes, he’s getting up in years and getting a bit creaky (all those playoff series, Olympic games, etc. add up!) and, yes, you can get two good guards for $30 MM/yr. But one of the things the Lakers buy is certainty: He’s a known quantity who has proven to work well with the players and organization that they have. That’s what’s hard to come by. Sure, Steve Nash is only making $12.25 MM this year…but he’s not going to be available. Who is available? Well, Stephon Marbury is making $20.8 and Gilbert Arenas is pulling in $14.7. You’re not just paying for the stats, you’re also paying for certainty and you’re dealing with what’s available. Finally, there’s marketability: Kobe brings in celebrity wattage that very few other players bring, despite Colorado.
I just want to comment on the picture chosen today, Manchester Orchestra is one of the best bands currently producing music, I am going to a second concert this spring and the first one blew my mind, if you get a chance you need to see them in person.
John,
Gotta give you props for the Manchester Orchestra. I also am just as concerned about our two bigs not comfortable in the rotation as much. Not to mention the Cavs really missed Varejao in Sunday’s near miss in Boston. It is a little unnerving to see that.
Totally off-topic, but it’s the day after and I think we all need to recognize something. If Butler wins that game, we would be talking about them as one of the great perimiter defensive teams of all time. Just because the shot doesn’t go in, doesn’t change that fact. At the young age of 22 (so not a ton of experience) Butlet is the best defensive team (college) that I’ve ever seen, and if you want to teach some kids who to play defense, put on a tape of this year’s Butler team. Amazingly, you can pick any of their 6 NCAA games because in every game they were that good on defense. Just absolutely, lock you down, non-stop running, never give up on a rebound, all out display. I’ve never seen a team have multiple guys play 40 minutes who literally do not stop running on defense at any point. Duke got MAYBE 3 open jumpers the entire night..THE WHOLE NIGHT. Just felt like it had to be said. Hope Hayward stays another year because I want another year of watching this team play defense..it’s art.
I was in Indy and saw the Final Four games in person, and Rich, you are absolutely right. Butler’s defense this year is exactly what every team strives for at the beginning of the season. You know, when you’re coach is saying all five players should be on the same page? Those Butler players were all on the same page. I can’t remember one defensive breakdown in either game.
Even better than their man to man, was their help side defense. I attended the game with my dad (and my brother), and he was a college basketball coach for 25 years. Even he couldn’t get over how great Butler’s help side and weak side defense was.
Its really a shame that Butler lost that game. There were 71,000 people in the building, and probably 65,000 were cheering for Butler. When Butler made that run at the very end to cut it to 1, then got the ball, I thought the roof was going to come off of the building, it was that loud. If Heyward had made that shot, Im convinced people would have found a way to rush the floor. It would have gone down as the greatest shot in the history of basketball, and I’m not exaggerating. What could have been…
And you want to know the scary thing? Butler should return EVERY IMPORTANT PLAYER from this year’s team. They will be good again.
http://sports.espn.go.com/los-angeles/nba/columns/story?id=5059001
Hey! Raise your hand if you saw this coming!
i dont see butler making the final four next year, despite returning all their core pieces. it was a down year for college basketball, and really any team can come together and string a couple wins together. it doesnt mean theyll do it next year… that said, that game last night was one of the most exciting ive seen. i’m as big of nba fan as you can find, but a well played ncaa tournament game is hard to beat, despite the obvious drop off in talent from an nba playoff game
I don’t see why Butler wont be a favorite to reach the Final Four next year. Actually, Butler, Duke, and Michigan State could all make the Final Four again next season. They all return enough key players to do so.
College basketball wasn’t anymore down this year than any other random year in the modern 1 and done day. UNC was clearly the best team last year, but are you telling me last years Mich. St team, or Villanova, are any better than this year’s Butler? No.
People need to get past the names o nthe front of the jersey’s and look at the names on the back. BUtler will straight up lock you down on defense, and because of that, they are real threats for a natl. title next year.
Heyyyyyyy Cavs fans.
Here’s a total buzzkill bummer of a thought to brighten up our gloomy day of pondering what the Best Record in the Regular Season means:
April 11th could potentially be the last Regular Season home game Lebron James plays for the Cleveland Cavaliers.
That thought just made me a little bit sick.
Actually, that thought just sucks.
Anyway, go cavs!
@Rich: Exactly. I don’t know why people (mainly Jay Bilas) kept saying this was a down year. It wasn’t. Maybe a down year for the bottom of the power conferences, but that difference was made up by the top of the mid majors.
College basketball is cyclical. In 07, 08, and 09, the power conference teams benefited greatly from three loaded HS classes and the gap was huge between them and the mids. This year, the HS class wasn’t quite as good, and the mids closed the gap.
Ive heard nothing from this year’s HS class, so I’d expect the mids to make up the difference even more.