Blame For LBJ’s Departure Falls On Both Parties…And Bad Luck

The news came around 8PM last night. LeBron James was signing a four year contract with the Los Angeles Lakers, leaving the Cavaliers for a second time via free agency.

There will be those that criticize James for his decision, same as they did eight years ago, and others will hammer Dan Gilbert and the organization for not being able to provide James with a team that can win titles.

The truth lies somewhere in between, however.

When James came back he wanted (at least what was claimed) to nurture the young Cavs. He wanted to work with Kyrie Irving, Tristan Thompson, and Dion Waiters. He recruited Kevin Love to help out.

But when the team struggled that first season, the Cavs got veteran players that James felt more comfortable with, guys like JR Smith and Iman Shumpert, and ultimately, the front office paid them a ton of money, so when, if Smith’s case, he declined as a player, his contract became untradeable.

The same with Thompson, who was represented by James’ agent, so the Cavaliers paid him more money than a defensive oriented big man with limited offensive skills probably should have received.

Because of that deal, and that Thompson has leveled off, the wine and gold are stuck with his contract unless they simply give him away.

We are sure the Cavs’ organization figured out, like everybody who understands the game of basketball, that Smith and Thompson are marginal players at best right now, and the best thing for the Cavaliers would be upgrading at their positions, but unfortunately that seems impossible.

And even after the championship in ’16, James wouldn’t commit to the Cavaliers long term because he couldn’t trust Gilbert, so the front office couldn’t engage a future plan.

That’s life with James on your team, and the Cavs’ front office did what they needed to do to put their squad in a position to get to The Finals.

And they won in 2016, a year after James willed Cleveland to a six game series without the second or third best players on the roster, Irving and Love, who were injured.

That’s where luck, or in the Cavs’ view, bad luck took over.

Due to a spike in the salary cap, the team Cleveland beat in ’16 was able to sign the second best player in the league, Kevin Durant, as a free agent. There is no question here that Durant has been the difference in each of the last two Finals, and without him on the Golden State roster, Cleveland may have just celebrated a “Three-peat”.

The Cavs’ management, Dan Gilbert, nor James can be blamed for that. Another situation like that may never happen again.

The front office can be blamed for the lack of return in the trade of Kyrie Irving, who needed to be dealt, and Gilbert can be blamed for not keeping former GM David Griffin, who put together the title team.

An experienced hand may have made the difference in the return for Irving, although to be fair, Griffin was the guy who agreed to the deals with Thompson, Shumpert, Smith, and giving up two first round picks for Timofey Mozgov.

We would say the front office recognized the need to get younger since the end of the 2017 season, and most of the moves made did just that, but the pressure to win and win now with LeBron James, was probably a factor in why the coaching staff didn’t really bring Cedi Osman, Ante Zizic, and later, Rodney Hood along.

So, it is unfair to lie the blame in one spot. The Cavs did what they needed to do to win as soon as possible. LeBron didn’t really commit to a long term stay.

That’s life with the best player in the sport.

Irving’s Legacy In Wine and Gold

Collin Sexton made a splash Thursday night, and not just by being the Cavaliers’ pick with the eighth overall selection in the NBA Draft.

He also said he was going to wear the #2, last worn in Cleveland by Kyrie Irving.

Now, there is no doubt that Irving will hold a special place in franchise history for making “The Shot (Cleveland version)”, which gave the Cavs their only title in 2016.

He deserves adulation for taking and making it, especially since both teams had a difficult time scoring in the last five minutes of Game 7.

However, he also decided to demand a trade after the 2016-17 season, and Cleveland granted him that request, sending him to Boston. It has also been reported that he planned to have elective knee surgery if he was not traded, making it so the Cavaliers didn’t have a choice.

So, some fans reacted with outrage at Sexton’s wanting to wear #2.

First, the rookie did wear the number at Alabama. It’s not as if Sexton wore #33 in college and decided to wear #2 here to troll Irving and his fans.

The other argument from fans, we believe these are younger fans, is that Irving should be honored some day by having his jersey retired here as the second best player in the history of the franchise.

We believe this is very clearly up for debate.

In our opinion, Mark Price is the second best Cavalier ever behind of course, LeBron James, and win shares concurs with this theory. Here are the franchise’s top five in win shares:

LeBron James 154.1
Mark Price 65.4
Brad Daugherty 65.2
Zydrunas Ilgauskas 63.4
Hot Rod Williams 58.3

Irving ranks eighth in team history (behind Larry Nance and Anderson Varejao) in this category.

To determine how win shares are calculated, please visit BasketballReference.com, but the all time leaders in the category are Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Wilt Chamberlain, Karl Malone, James, and Michael Jordan.

It is an accumulative statistic, meaning the longer you play, the higher number you get, and that is one of our arguments against Irving at the second best Cavalier.

Price played nine seasons in Cleveland, and four times made the all-NBA team, a first teamer once (the only other Cav besides James to have that honor) and third team three times.

Irving played with the Cavaliers for just six seasons, making the all-NBA teams just once, a third team selection in 2014-15.

That indicates how both players were regarded within their eras. By this measurement, it shows Price was regarded as an elite player at his time. Although Irving is a gifted player, he has only been regarded as a top six guard in the NBA once.

And in looking at individual stats, Irving leads Price in points per game (21.6 to 16.4 with Cleveland) and rebounds.

The difference in points is attributable to Irving taking five more shots per game than Price, as the latter shot a higher percentage from the field.

As a point guard, Price averaged 7.2 assists with the Cavs, compared to Irving’s 5.5. Price was also a better three point shooter, making 40.9% compared to 38.3%.

Look, we are not saying Kyrie Irving is not a great player, nor can the story of the Cavs’ only title be told without the important contribution of Kyrie Irving.

But second best player in Cavs’ history? Retire his number? Let’s look at that without the emotion of the 2016 NBA Championship or the emotion of how his time with the Cavaliers ended.

Sexton Is A Solid Pick For Wine and Gold.

In today’s NBA, what happens on draft night could be totally different two weeks or two months from now.

As it stands right now, the Cavaliers drafted a point guard with the eighth overall pick in the draft last night, grabbing Alabama’s Collin Sexton, a pick that received mixed reviews.

We believe the reason was the expectation that GM Koby Altman was going to swing a deal to bring in a veteran star player in an effort to keep LeBron James with the team, but James is said to like Sexton too.

Of course, there is still time for Altman to swing a deal before the end of the month when the free agency period begins in earnest.

In our opinion, Sexton is a very good pick.

There is no question that he needs to work on his shot. He shot just 44.7% from the floor and just 33.6% from behind the arc. However, he demonstrated a tremendous ability to get to the basket.

He did shoot 78% from the line which shows he can shoot a bit, and remember, he’s just 19 years old, and although a player can’t improve his lateral quickness, they can work on their shooting, and get better through spending time in the gym.

One thing that was evident watching the Cavs in the playoffs, was they needed players who can create offense by attacking the basket. Too often, the only guy doing that was James.

Let’s face it, after the Kyrie Irving deal last summer, the Cavs needed a penetrating guard who can finish around the basket, although that could be a problem without a reliable jump shot to keep defenders honest.

Sexton will need to improve his playmaking ability to be successful in the NBA, because he was more of a combo guard in college, but again, he’s just a year out of high school, and we have seen a lot of scorers in college become playmakers in the pros.

His reputation is that he is a hard worker and plays well in big games. We love that. Players can improve by working hard, and when players don’t pan out in the NBA, many times it is because they don’t put the time in during the off-season.

And as a bonus, Sexton is considered a solid defender, something that outside of George Hill has been missing from the games of Cavs’ point guards for awhile.

Another reason for disappointment with the choice of Sexton is that the wine and gold passed on Michael Porter Jr., considered one of the most talented players available.

However, Porter’s back problems (also at age 19!) were simply too much of a red flag. Everyone seems to look at his upside, but what if he’s this decade’s Greg Oden, a player who simply can’t either get on the floor or stay on it.

As for the big picture, keeping the pick and taking Sexton doesn’t mean James is leaving Cleveland, nor does it mean he is staying.

We said it before the Cavs have another week to make moves in an attempt to make James see this is a good place for him to try to win another title.

It could be the most important week this franchise has had off the court in a long time.

What Cavs Should Do Now…

Even though the Cleveland Cavaliers just ended their season after getting swept in the NBA Finals, it is still a busy time for the franchise.

The NBA Draft is next Thursday, and of course, the Cavs have the 8th overall pick, a result of the Kyrie Irving trade last summer.

There is also the free agency period which starts on July 1st.

Oh, and there is the whole will LeBron James decide to stay with the franchise or will he go through the free agency process once again.

So, the wine and gold are one of the last two teams standing and yet the next three to four weeks are critical to the future of the franchise.

Unless they hear something differently, they should use this period to show James the best place to win, right now and in the future is right here with the Cavaliers.

How do they do that? First, listen to what he was saying prior to and after Game 4 of The Finals. He repeatedly said he liked playing with guys who have high basketball IQs. How many guys do the Cavs have like that?

We would say Kevin Love is one. Larry Nance Jr. is another. From hearing James’ comments throughout the season, we believe he holds Cedi Osman in high regard.

George Hill is a playmaker, good shooter, and solid defender.

Kyle Korver and Jose Calderon are cerebral players too, but are a little long in the tooth to be productive NBA players on a nightly basis any more.

Are we missing anyone who you would consider is a smart player? And being a hard worker or skilled in a particular area is not the same as being cerebral on the court.

So, GM Koby Altman has about two weeks to make some moves that would entice James to stay in northeast Ohio and try to lead the Cavs to a fifth consecutive NBA Finals. And we would bet he would want a roster that could finish the deal, and not just win one game against the Warriors over the past two years.

Many of said the Cavs can’t do anything because of their salary cap situation and lack of expiring contracts. However, they do have the 8th pick in the draft. And remember, teams all over the NBA will give up good players for the chance to get great ones.

These same people said Altman wouldn’t be able to do anything about the roster at the trade deadline, and instead, he turned over 40% of the roster.

Nobody is saying it is easy, and no doubt the Cavs’ front office will have to be very creative and flexible to get something substantial done before the free agent period starts.

What we would not do is accept that James is leaving and start preparing for life after LeBron. Look, it is really simple. If James is on the team, the Cavaliers are a contender for the Larry O’Brien Trophy, without him, they are probably bound for the draft lottery.

Until LeBron or his representatives tell Dan Gilbert and Koby Altman that he has decided to play elsewhere in 2018-19, the Cavs need to make the roster something James will want to return to.

Plus, if you do that and he does decide to move on, you can always trade some of the veterans for young players and/or draft picks.

It should be an interesting two weeks. And hopefully there is a new deal at the end for James, keeping him in wine and gold for a few more years.

What Could Cavs Have Done Differently?

Now that the Cleveland Cavaliers’ season has ended with a sweep at the hands of the Golden State Warriors in the NBA Finals, it is time for a look back at some of the reasons the season was filled with ups and downs.

One of the things that failed Cleveland in the Finals was their defense. The Warriors shot 51.3% for the four games, and shot 60.5% from inside the arc, a whopping percentage.

Many of these shots were uncontested layups and dunks by the Warriors’ “non-stars”. JaVale McGee shot 16 of 20 from the floor, Shaun Livingston was 13 of 15, Jordan Bell was 10 for 14. That’s 39 of 49 from that trio alone.

McGee in particular got a whole bunch of easy shots because the Cavs couldn’t defend the high pick and roll, something they struggled with all season.

We have railed all season long about a solid defensive plan for the team, something it could hang it’s hat on. As we have written previously, this lack of a basic defensive scheme came back to bite the wine and gold in the end.

The failure to manage LeBron James’ minutes also played a factor. While James wanted to play in all 82 games for the first time in his career, he didn’t have to lead the league in minutes.

That also falls back on the coaching staff’s reluctance to build some kind of offense when The King was sitting on the bench. We understand the plan was to put the ball in LeBron’s hands and let him orchestrate things, but when he wasn’t playing, there wasn’t a different attack.

That meant the Cavs struggled with James sitting, meaning coach Tyronn Lue had to rush him back in there to win games.

Early in the season, Cleveland was a veteran laden team, with Dwyane Wade, Derrick Rose, and Jae Crowder playing key roles. Rose got injured and left the team for awhile, and Crowder never fit in to the way to play off of James.

Wade initially was a starter, but after a few games, found his niche as the leader of the second unit, and the Cavaliers took off. We may never know what happened, but when the deals at the deadline were made, they involved Wade going home to Miami, which we feel everyone signed off on.

After those deals, it never seemed like the coaching staff involved or did anything to maximize the talents of Rodney Hood and Jordan Clarkson, particularly the former. Larry Nance Jr. fit in because he’s instinctual and athletic.

And Cedi Osman, another good athlete already on the roster, and a contributor after the deals, never got back in the mix after he suffered a hip injury.

From game 42 through 52, Osman played at least 15 minutes every game, of which the Cavs won eight, and he averaged almost nine points, and 3. 5 rebounds per game.

After the injury, he played more than 15 minutes three times, a win over Washington, the loss to Philadelphia where the Cavaliers almost won after being down by 30, and the last game of the season.

Could Osman’s athleticism and basketball IQ have helped in the playoffs? We won’t know because he played only in garbage time.

The failure of getting athletic young players like Hood, Clarkson, and Osman, and even Ante Zizic, a former first round pick, hurt the Cavs in The Finals.

These were things everyone was concerned about as the season went on, so much of this is not a second guess.

But if James returns to the Cavs next season, these things need to be addressed for the betterment of the franchise and more success going forward.

Being younger and having a smarter team will help going forward.

What Do Cavs Need To Do.

The Cleveland Cavaliers are down two games to none to Golden State in the NBA Finals, and many feel it is a foregone conclusion that the series will end quickly, with the same result as a year ago.

That’s the popular view.

On the other hand, the Cavs had an outstanding chance to win game one, until some questionable decisions, both by the wine and gold (JR Smith) and the officials, late led to an overtime loss, and really, on Sunday night, Cleveland still had a shot until Stephen Curry got hot in the fourth quarter.

The Warriors are shooting 54% from the floor in the first two games, compared to 43% for the Cavs, and based on that, you would think both games were blowouts.

This year’s games were decided by 10 (in overtime) and 19 points, compared to 22 and 19 a year ago.

Still, a few things need to be addressed for Cleveland.

First, the switching defense was horrible in game two. There were far too many instances of Kevin Durant being guarded by Smith and George Hill, and Curry being checked by Kevin Love, Tristan Thompson, Jeff Green and Larry Nance Jr.

We have said it all year. Switching is lazy and it allows the offense to dictate who is guarding who. The Cavs themselves like nothing more than to see Curry matched up with James.

The Cavaliers have to try something different and cannot allow wide open layups and dunks off the high pick and roll. We say this knowing this has been a weakness all season long, so it will be difficult to improve at this stage of the game.

In terms of the players coach Tyronn Lue is using, it may also be time for some alterations.

Smith continues to struggle with his shot, hitting just 5 of 19 shots from the field, and just 3 of 10 from distance. Although we have buried Rodney Hood recently, it may be time to see if he can provide some energy and shot making.

Jordan Clarkson is another who looks like the moment is too much for him. He’s also not shooting well (3 for 13), and seems to be playing over 100 miles per hour when the game is being played at 60 MPH.

And Kyle Korver is struggling much like he did a year ago in the Finals. It seems like the Warriors are long enough to contest his long range shots, and they are also doing what the Cavaliers did to him when he played for Atlanta.

They aren’t leaving him open.

The Cavs shot 37% from three in the regular season, they are making just 30% in the first two games of the series. They need to find someone to make shots. Only James and Hill have made more than 30% in The Finals.

It is also time for Cleveland to get more physical. Golden State has collected ten more fouls in the series than the Cavs (they have probably really committed 30 more, but that’s another story), so Lue’s group needs to make their presence felt.

Don’t be afraid to play a little bump and grind with Curry, Klay Thompson, and Durant. Because of the overtime game, this trio along with Draymond Green are averaging 40 minutes per game.

Make an effort to wear down the Warriors, and do a better job attacking players with foul issues. Durant picked up two in the first quarter on Sunday, and it seemed like Cleveland did not attack him.

Obviously, the Cavs need to win Wednesday night and get back in the series, going down 0-3 means it is over for all intent and purposes.

It is not the time for out and out loyalty based coaching. If guys aren’t getting it done, you have to try someone else.

A win in Game 3 puts the Cavs back in the series. No question about that.

Cavs and Lue On The Brink?

For the second time this playoff season, the Cleveland Cavaliers face a win or go home scenario, trailing the Boston Celtics three games to two in the Eastern Conference semi-finals.

Besides all of the stuff surrounding LeBron James’ free agency at the end of the season, another person should be considered as if they are spending their last days in the organization.

We are speaking about coach Tyronn Lue.

It is no secret that Lue has had health issues this past season, heck, he missed nine games late in the year because of them. We would not be surprised if regardless of the result of tonight’s game or this series, or The Finals, if Cleveland can win the next two games, that Lue does not return as coach of the Cavaliers next season.

We may simply decide he’s either had enough of being a head coach in the NBA or that he needs to take a year or two off before trying again.

The head coach said yesterday that he doesn’t worry about what doesn’t work after a loss. If he’s not lying to the media, then he might be the first coach who doesn’t.

All coaches think about what didn’t work after a loss, and what they could do differently to achieve a winning result. It’s the nature of the job.

However, for tonight’s game, Lue cannot be display the patience he has used toward his veteran players who haven’t been producing in this series. There is simply no tomorrow if you lose tonight.

In game five, JR Smith and Jeff Green played 51 combined minutes and basically gave the team nothing on the offensive end. Yes, Boston only scored 96 points, which is second lowest of the series, but the Cavaliers only scored 83, tying what they tallied in Game 1.

Both players have been outscored by Tristan Thompson, hardly an offensive force, in the series, and Smith ranks behind Jordan Clarkson, who has mostly been dreadful throughout these playoffs.

Smith ranks 4th in minutes in the conference finals, while Green is 6th. Both have played more minutes than Kyle Korver, who we can all agree has been one of the Cavs’ five best players in the series, and Larry Nance Jr., who has played well vs. the Celtics too.

FYI, Smith has the worst shooting percentage (23.1%) for any Cavaliers in the series. And that includes the guys who have only played in garbage time.

Green can help, but Lue has leaned on him far too heavily throughout the playoffs. And the expectation that he will be a good three point shooter is ridiculous. By the way, he’s 2 for 9 from distance in this series.

If either player doesn’t have it early tonight, Lue has to make a difficult decision to try something else. Maybe it will work, maybe it won’t, but Smith and Green have had their chances. It might be time to see what Cedi Osman can do, or put Jose Calderon out there for a bit.

We are also tired of hearing how it is Kevin Love’s fault for the Cavs being down in this series.

Has Love played great? No, but he still leads Cleveland in rebounds at 11.0 per game, and is the second leading scorer at 15.0. His shooting has been off, but there have been reports that he reinjured his thumb in the series.

He’s not the reason Cleveland is on the brink of elimination.

With a win or go home game, this is not the time for the coach to be exercising patience. He has to look at players with a +, 0, – attitude. Guys who are being a minus should be taken out.

The Cavs and the coaching staff have to figure out a way to get this series back to Boston for a game seven.

Support For LeBron Better, Cavs Even It Up.

After the loss to the Boston Celtics in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Finals, we tried to calm people by saying the Cleveland Cavaliers just needed to win their two home games, so there was no reason to panic.

The Cavs still need to win one game on the Celtics home court, just like they did going into the series after a 111-102 victory at Quicken Loans Arena.

So, tonight was not LeBron James’ last game in a Cavalier uniform because he will be here Friday night for Game 6.

And of course, James was incredible again last night, scoring 44 points on 28 shots, and he added in five rebounds and three assists. Can The King play better? The seven turnovers he had say yes he can.

The “supporting cast” also played very well too. Tristan Thompson had 13 points and 12 boards, and continued to give Al Horford trouble defensively.

George Hill has been a completely different player at home, scoring 13 points in each game, making 50% of his 20 shot attempts in the two games. And he does a good job on the defensive end as well.

What more can you see about Kyle Korver. The 37-year-old scored 14 points, had four rebounds and incredibly, three blocked shots. Korver isn’t a great one-on-one defender, and never really was, and Brad Stevens tries to take advantage of that when Korver is matched up on Jalen Brown, but he is seemingly always in the right spot, and can always be counted on to dive on the loose ball.

We are sure the Kevin Love critics will be out in full force today, because he didn’t shoot well, but he still had 9 points and 11 rebounds, despite foul trouble. And his tip in basket in the fourth quarter came at a critical time.

As for the people who think Tyronn Lue shouldn’t be second guessed if the wine and gold win, we need to ask what is his obsession with Jeff Green. Green is a solid defender, that’s true, but the combination of he and Thompson on the court at the same time needs to be junked.

The Cavs play horribly with that duo on the court together.

If Cleveland is to get the road win they need tomorrow night, they have to take care of the ball better. 19 turnovers (seven by James, six more by Love) is way too many.

The Cavaliers also need to continue the defensive effort they received at home too. Boston shot 40% in the two games at The Q, and if they can get those kind of results in Beantown, that will bode well for the team.

Yes, Boston was in the same position in their first round series against Milwaukee, and the Bucks have Giannis Antetokounmpo, a superstar, but the Greek Freak isn’t the best player in the sport, and the Bucks don’t have the experience which permeates the Cleveland roster.

What that means if perhaps the Celtics will be feeling some pressure understanding that a loss on Wednesday night means going back to Cleveland, where they haven’t played well, for a must win contest.

Right now, momentum is with the Cavs. They need to smell blood after two straight wins and jump on Boston early.

One other advantage for Cleveland. They have LeBron James. And that’s a big edge.

What Needs To Change In Game 2 For Cavs?

Fans of the Cleveland Cavaliers should know better by now. You cannot and should not overreact to a single game in the NBA playoffs.

If we would have told you before Sunday’s game one that Cleveland would shoot 36% from the floor, and go 4 of 26 from three point range, while the Celtics make 51% of their shots, we both would have predicted a 25 point loss in Beantown.

Then you add in Boston shooting 64.1% on contested shots, while the wine and gold made just 30% of wide open shots, and you can see why the Cavs weren’t really in game one.

Basketball is a funny game, we say this all the time. A team can execute a play perfectly and the player who ends up with the ball misses the shot. Conversely, you can be totally discombobulated offensively, and then a great player makes a contested shot.

That’s just the nature of the game.

What coaches and players do is try to even out the odds. Normally, the percentages even out, and team make open shots and miss ones that are defended.

When it doesn’t work out that way, it is awfully frustrating to watch or play.

Could it happen again in game two? Of course. And if it does, all the Celtics have done is hold serve on their home court, and the Cavaliers can even it up and make it a best of three series by winning games three and four at Quicken Loans Arena.

We would doubt that Marcus Morris or Al Horford can play better tonight than they did in the first game, and we would also be surprised if LeBron James was as inefficient as he was on Sunday.

And quite frankly, we’d be more shocked if the wine and gold made just four three point shots.

This doesn’t mean that’s all it comes down to in tonight’s contest. The Cavs have to show more fight, and they have to do a better job on Horford, who the Celtics use to facilitate the offense.

It appears Tristan Thompson will start in place of either JR Smith or Kyle Korver, to add some size to the lineup, and Thompson has done a good job of defending Horford in the past.

We would like to see more of Jordan Clarkson attacking the basket, not settling for mid-range jump shots. And while Rodney Hood got credit for being okay in Game 1, we weren’t impressed. Yes, he scored 11 points, but needed 12 shots to do so.

We also think it sends the wrong message, even in the playoffs, to put him out there after he refused to play in the series clincher vs. Toronto.

Cleveland needs to rebound better too, as they were outrebounded 48-40 on Sunday. Jeff Green had one board, and Hood had none. Both must do better.

There has to be better ball movement too. The Cavs only had 18 assists, half of them by James. Now, some of that is you can’t award an assist unless someone makes a shot, but the next highest assist total was by Kevin Love with three.

Game one was just a bad game for the Cavs. If tonight’s game is similar, then there is reason for concern. Even if that happens, it only means the wine and gold must win the next two at home.

Previewing Cavs/Celtics

For the fourth consecutive season, the Cleveland Cavaliers have advanced to the Eastern Conference finals, and for the second straight campaign, their opponent is the Boston Celtics.

There are similarities as to each team’s path to this point in the playoffs, as both the wine and gold and the Celts had first round series that went the full seven games, but it took Boston five games to win the second round series against Philadelphia, while the Cavs swept the top seeded Toronto Raptors.

Boston is missing their top two players in Kyrie Irving and Gordon Hayward, who missed the entire season after breaking his leg Opening Night in Cleveland.

The Celtics have been led in the post season by rookie Jayson Tatum, averaging 18.8 points per game, and third year pro Terry Rozier at 18.2. And, of course, they have veteran big man Al Horford, who has been eliminated by the Cavs the past three season in the playoffs.

Boston has only played six players in every post-season game, but they do have Marcus Smart back after he missed the first four playoff contests.

Brad Stevens is considered the best coach in the NBA or at least in the top two (with Gregg Popovich) and his team was the best defensive team in the NBA during the regular season.

In the playoffs though, the Celts rank 11th out of the 16 playoff teams in defensive field goal percentage, and in terms allowing points, the Cavs have actually allowed fewer points per game than Boston.

The problem for Boston in last year’s series, won by the Cavs, four games to one, is the same problem much of the NBA has, they can’t stop LeBron James, who averaged 29.8 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 6.8 assists last year.

The big three of James, Irving, and Kevin Love all averaged more than 20 points per game. Boston’s leading scorers were Avery Bradley and Jae Crowder, neither of whom are still with the team.

Remember, the Cavs won the four games last season by the following point totals: 13, 44, 13, and 33.

Stevens’ team is more athletic this season with Tatum, Rozier, and Jalen Brown, but they are less experienced, at least in terms of playing James in the playoffs.

In our opinion, Boston will probably try to be physical like Indiana had some success with in the first round.

But the wild card might just be George Hill for Cleveland. Hill missed three and a half games in that series, and the Cavs are 6-2 this season in the playoffs when Hill plays.

The other problem Boston poses is they are versatile offensively. Cavs’ coach Tyronn Lue likes to blitz certain players, much like they did against Victor Oladipo in the Pacers’ series, and DeMar DeRozan vs. Toronto.

Who does Lue do that to with Boston? Will be make Tatum the focus of the defensive scheme or will it be Rozier or Horford?

Will that offset the issue the C’s have in slowing down James? As it has been said, the problem with guarding James is if you are big enough, you aren’t quick enough, and if you are quick enough, you aren’t big enough.

So, Stevens will probably use Marcus Morris in the Lance Stephenson role, that as an irritant to James, trying to frustrate him.

And as usual, the outside shooters for the Cavs will have to come through. At least one of the shooters (Love, Kyle Korver, JR Smith) have to be hitting from outside to allow James room to operate in the paint.

Quite frankly, we were surprised with the ease in which the Cavaliers dispatched the Raptors, but we don’t feel that way with the Celtics. In our opinion, Boston isn’t ready to win four games out of seven against Cleveland.

That would mean an 8th straight trip to the Finals for James, and a fourth consecutive trip for the Cavs.