Cavs Clinch Playoff Spot

The Cavs clinched their first playoff appearance since 1998 last evening against the sliding Dallas Mavericks 107-94. It’s good to know the critics and the media will shut up for the time being because I was starting to get sick and tired of hearing the words ‘choke’, ‘fade’, ‘slide’, and ‘collapse’ when I hear people talk about this team late in the year. LeBron and the rest of the team have crossed another hurdle. Test #2 is whether this team can do anything in the playoffs.

So can this team get very far in the playoffs? That’s the new challenge this team will be facing. My initial thoughts would be no, so let’s break it down a bit:

Strengths:

1. When Donyell Marshall and Damon Jones are hitting their 3s, the Cavs are virtually unbeatable.
2. Zydrunas Ilgauskas is one of the best scoring centers in the league. He can score inside and out.
3. LeBron James is a top 5 player in this league.
4. Flip Murray has been a great acquisition so far, hitting big shots in the clutch, and providing good ball handling, a decent scoring threat, and good hands on defense.
5. The Cavs are consistently one of the top rebounding teams in the league.

Weaknesses:

1. The Cavs can be streaky as a team and can’t afford to go into the playoffs flat.
2. Drew Gooden can get pushed around down low against bigger-stronger players.
3. Eric Snow provides little scoring from the point.
4. When Donyell Marshall and Damon Jones aren’t hitting their shots, the Cavs are very beatable.
5. The team’s defense can breakdown when the other team is more physical.
6. The team still needs to be more physical overall with more of a killer instinct against teams like the Pistons, who can out muscle them, and teams with multiple scoring studs like the Wizards.

My honest opinion is that the Cavs’ weaknesses will overcome their strengths early in the playoffs. I predict a second round exit, but if the Cavs hit a bit of a losing streak by the time they get in, teams like Washington (Gilbert Arenas, Antawn Jamison) will be too much to handle and they may bow out in Round 1.