Can the Cleveland Cavaliers win the NBA Championship?

Can the Cavaliers win the NBA Championship?

When you have LeBron James on your team, you are always a contender for a championship title. James has taken his team to the Finals six years in a row, and all things being equal, he is destined for another Finals appearance. Can the Cavaliers win the NBA championship? The answer is yes and no. There are several factors that need to go in their favor for them to win the title. Here is a breakdown of the chances the Cavaliers win the NBA championship.pionship.

LeBron James Offense Highlights 2016/17 Insane Dunks!

Does defense win championships?

LeBron James & Kyrie Irving Total 56 Points in DC

One of the most popular mantras in basketball is that defense wins championships, but that is only partly right. The Cavaliers are proof that good offense can beat good defense. Last year, when the Cavs won the championship for the first time, they were ranked No.10 in defensive rating. They allowed 104.5 points per 100 possessions. The Cavs offense suffered when they had Kevin Love on the floor, a player not known for his defensive abilities. Leading up to the Finals, the Cavs rolled their opponents by having a better offense. However, in the last three games of the Finals, Cleveland held Golden State to only 97, 101, and 89 points. That’s how they were able to come back from a 3-1 deficit. This season, the Cavs are struggling on the defensive end. They are allowing more than 107 points per game, which is in the bottom half of the League.

Key Players for the Championship

Kyrie Irving 41-Point Game 5 NBA Finals

James has no problem engaging in beast mode in the playoffs. However, as we saw last year, the Cavaliers will not win the NBA championship unless other players contribute. Every player needs support, even the great LeBron James. Kyrie Irving grew into a great leader, and arguably one of the top 15 players in the league last year. Kevin Love is even more comfortable in his role this year, but it all comes down to the bench. The Cavaliers bench is a bit worse than last year, notably J.R. Smith.

The Cavs need every player to contribute off the bench. That means Smith, Richard Jefferson, Channing Frye, and Mike Dunleavy need to help. They have all increased their shooting percentages, a result of the LeBron James effect.

Teams Standing in Cavs way

Cavaliers vs Warriors Christmas Day Top 10 Plays

In the Eastern Conference, the Cavs are head and shoulders above everyone else. Last year, the Cavs cruised in the regular season, even coming close to losing the No.1 spot. However, in the playoffs, they turned it around. When you look at the Eastern Conference, there are only three teams that can pose a legitimate threat to the Cavs. Those teams are the Celtics, Raptors, and Hawks.

The Hawks lost to the Cavs two years in a row. The Raptors were eviscerated last year in the playoffs and Boston also lost to Cleveland. The Celtics have gotten better, though, and they can get even better by the end of the season. Since James joined the Cavs, Cleveland is 6-3 against the Raptors, and so far this year, the Cavs beat the Raptors twice. Cleveland also beat Boston this season but lost to Atlanta.

The problem is that if the Cavaliers make it to the Finals, they will most likely have to play the Warriors, Spurs, or Clippers. Those three teams are much more talented and than any team in the Eastern Conference. The Warriors beat the Cavs in the 2015 Finals, and the Spurs beat James in the 2014 Finals. The Clippers are always dangerous, and they seem to have finally gotten everything figured it out this year. The Warriors got better with the addition of Kevin Durant. The Cavaliers are still favorites to make the Finals, but chances are they will meet one of these tough Western Conference opponents when they get there.

Injuries?

Houston Rockets Vs. Cleveland Cavaliers Highlights
As currently constructed, the Cavaliers can probably withstand an injury to a role player. We saw this two years ago; the Cavs were without Kevin Love from the first round and they still made it to the Finals. They lost Irving in Game 1 of the Finals, and still managed to make the Finals exciting and close – James is just that good. But if the Cavs suffer an injury to a key player, things will be drastically different. The question can the Cavaliers win the NBA Championship gets more complicated. The Cavs will most likely make the Finals unless James gets hurt. They cannot win the title without him.

This has led head coach Tyronn Lue to more carefully manage his players minutes, and even giving James the night off here and there.

Tradition?

One thing the Cavs have against them is that it’s much harder nowadays to repeat as champions. The last team to win the title two years in a row was the James-led Miami Heat in 2012 and 2013. The Lakers also did it in 2009 and 2010, but as a general rule of thumb, we live in an era of constant change. Different teams win the championship, and that is all thanks to bigger and better completion. Every year, there are at least five to six teams that are legitimate contenders for the title, and at least two more dark horse candidates. This year, the contenders are the Cavaliers, Raptors, Warriors, Spurs, Celtics and Clippers.

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