Cavs

The Cleveland Cavaliers are a lock for the playoffs, but not title contention. An uneven record against good teams, injuries, and wing depth hold them back.

However, it’s been a mixed bag against the other contenders, Garland and Mitchell have to play heavy minutes early in the season, the team has dealt with countless injuries, and the starting small forward position isn’t solidified. of the Charlotte Hornets to solidify the position, in theory. In the loss against the Knicks, Diakite and Stevens were both in the starting lineup. This season could play out in a similar manner if the stars have to log too many minutes too early in the season. The Cavs can make a move closer to the trade deadline and bring in someone like Cam Reddish of the Knicks, Kyle Kuzma of the Washington Wizards, or Kelly Oubre Jr. The Toronto Raptors are 12-12 and eighth in the East, just outside of the playoffs. Throughout the season, the Cavs have had to endure injuries up and down their roster. With the way guys on the Cavs roster are getting injured, those players might end up getting meaningful minutes in key games. The Cavs are 2-0 against the Celtics, including a 114-113 overtime home victory in early November. During that stretch, they’ve had to play two games each against the top two teams in the East, the Celtics (20-5) and the Bucks (17-6). Each side has a valid argument for why the Cavaliers are title contenders or not, but this season, the Cleveland Cavaliers are only postseason contenders. The Cleveland Cavaliers were overachievers last season as they reached the NBA Play-In Tournament, losing to the Brooklyn Nets and the Atlanta Hawks.