The only EC team that could take the Cavs to 7 games is...

[TurnUpTheHeat]

If they let the next 4 best teams combine rosters, they'd win.
As is, there is no real challenger to beat James 4/7.

 

[Bolts]

The only team in the East that might keep the Cavs from making the NBA finals is an injured Cavs team.

 

[OutlawImmortal]

Really? No one is good enough to take the Cavs to 7 games? It's times like these that make me wish the Lakers were in the East

 

[WiggyRuss]

Really? No one is good enough to take the Cavs to 7 games? It's times like these that make me wish the Lakers were in the East

Cavs are better then they were last year.....and the passed 2 years combined they have lost a total of 4 games in the Eastern Conference. That is across 6 series-- 4 losses...2 against Chicago 2 years ago- and 2 against Toronto last year.

It is certainly possible they go to 7 against an Eastern Conference team- but not likely. unless - like the poster above said- someone is hurt.

Love, Irving and LeBron are working together better then forever- everyone on the team can take a step back and swallow some ego. LeBron is not even the leading scorer. Kyrie and Love barely played in the 4th last night since the 2nd unit and LEBron were playing so well.

This is probably the best team LeBron has ever been a part of.

 

[tlance]

This would be filthy and would put the Celtics into elite territory.

But, never gonna happen without gutting their Team.

But I’m told the Celtics at this point are only interested in potential “game changers” on the trade market. One name to keep an eye on is New Orleans’ Anthony Davis. The only way Davis will come into play is if Davis wants out, something that isn’t that far-fetched when you consider the steady run of injuries he’s enduring on a team that’s going nowhere fast. The Celtics have draft picks galore, young talent with very team-friendly contracts and being in the East, that would mean the Pelicans would only see Davis twice a season.

– via CSNNE.com

Both Net picks + a couple contracts would be the best return NO could get from anybody if Davis does indeed want out. They would have 4 top 5 (possibly top 3) picks in 2 years. If they were to trade Davis, they would be pushing the reset button and starting over.

 

[wildturkey]

I'm not even sure you can say a healthy Boston team could challenge the Cavs yet. They haven't played hardly any games healthy so we don't know how they really look yet. Right now, the only team that looks like they could give the Cavs a run in the East is Toronto, especially if Derozan keeps playing out of this world.

 

[bksballer89]

I'm not even sure you can say a healthy Boston team could challenge the Cavs yet. They haven't played hardly any games healthy so we don't know how they really look yet. Right now, the only team that looks like they could give the Cavs a run in the East is Toronto, especially if Derozan keeps playing out of this world.

They need some outside shooting. If they can get a shooter or two by the deadline then yeah that serious would be real interesting if they're healthy and DeRozan plays like this.

 

[HurricaneDij39]

True, Boston is a scrappy defensive team though and the type that could try to get in LBj's head over the course of the series. Ultimately I think they coast to the finals if healthy but I think Boston will be the clear 2nd best when it's all said and done.

I ultimately think Cleveland will repeat as champions, but I think Atlanta is the biggest threat to beat them in the playoffs. (And yes, I think even moreso than GS)

Dwight Howard might not be the most popular figure in the NBA but he brings the elements that Atlanta didn't have before - Rim protection as well as the savvy of having beaten LeBron in the playoffs once before.

 

[Shanemansj13]

Really? No one is good enough to take the Cavs to 7 games? It's times like these that make me wish the Lakers were in the East

Lakers are still not far along enough to make the East playoffs

 

[WiggyRuss]

Lakers are still not far along enough to make the East playoffs

it took 44 games to make the playoffs in the East last year- 41 in the West.

so yah...

 

[purguy12]

right now no body but if I had to pick a team right now I have to go with my Bulls. They have the scores and they rebound really well. Defense is so so. I wish their D was a little better.

Hawks are another team with a shot.

 

[OutlawImmortal]

Cavs are better then they were last year.....and the passed 2 years combined they have lost a total of 4 games in the Eastern Conference. That is across 6 series-- 4 losses...2 against Chicago 2 years ago- and 2 against Toronto last year.

It is certainly possible they go to 7 against an Eastern Conference team- but not likely. unless - like the poster above said- someone is hurt.

Love, Irving and LeBron are working together better then forever- everyone on the team can take a step back and swallow some ego. LeBron is not even the leading scorer. Kyrie and Love barely played in the 4th last night since the 2nd unit and LEBron were playing so well.

This is probably the best team LeBron has ever been a part of.

Even when the Lakers sucked though they've generally had a good record against the Eastern Conference. Thinking a little more about it now, I realize that a lot of EC playoff teams are in rebuilding-hell. Too good for nice draft picks and too bad to hope to get past LeBron. Much easier to rebuild in the West, because it's easier to be bad.

 

[Hambombs]

It's still Toronto Raptors to me. Nobody can guard derozan or Lowry. Also Carroll is a very solid player

 

[WiggyRuss]

Both Net picks + a couple contracts would be the best return NO could get from anybody if Davis does indeed want out. They would have 4 top 5 (possibly top 3) picks in 2 years. If they were to trade Davis, they would be pushing the reset button and starting over.

Both Net picks + a couple contracts would be the best return NO could get from anybody if Davis does indeed want out. They would have 4 top 5 (possibly top 3) picks in 2 years. If they were to trade Davis, they would be pushing the reset button and starting over.

i agree Boston makes the most sense if there is adeal since- as you corectly stated they have by far the best and most assets (unless Minne wnated to jump in- but that doesnt make sense)...

but if i was the Pels managementi would say- we just gave you 150 million dollar contract, you are 23 years old, are shooting under 50% and average 2 assists per game. Davis is putting up a lot of stats- but not doing much to help his team win. It takes a lot more then just stats- it takes leadership, and experience and it doesnt appear Davis knows how to handle that stuff at this point in his career.

 

[WiggyRuss]

It's still Toronto Raptors to me. Nobody can guard derozan or Lowry. Also Carroll is a very solid player

id agree- all though the Hawks are starting to get intriguing with Dwight and a bunch of shooting- that has gotten LeBron before as @HurricaneDij39 stated.....the Hawks look pretty good too. Schroeder looks really good and like he can more than handle the PG spot...Bazemore played great against the Cavs and is a guy who- while he cant slow down LeBron- is at least one of the more respectable SF in the East when it comes to defending LEBron.....

you make a good point about Carroll and he was hurt last year if i remember correctly....at least banged up.

 

[Vyle203]

It's hard to judge the Celtics right now with the injuries. Guys like Zeller, Gerald Green, Rozier and Jerebko are not supposed to be on the floor for extended minutes like they have been. There's a reason they are bottom rotation guys. Those guys are good in spots, and Brad knows how to use them in that capacity.

Besides the injuries, the rebounding is a concern and if we don't fix that, there isn't much of a chance of a deep playoff run. Especially against guys like Valanciunis and Howard.

When Horford and Crowder come back, the defense will improve and maybe rebounding won't be such a huge glaring problem, but we will just have to see.

As far as legitimately challenging a healthy Cavs team in the East, I still think the answer is nobody. Toronto and Atlanta probably have the "best" chance, but it's not much of one.

 

[Vyle203]

I'll add that Crowder is a stopper at the SF position. Right now Smart has been guarding them for the most part and getting torched. He's an awesome defender but he should really only be defending 1's and 2's. That's why guys like Barnes and even fckin Wilson Chandler have gone off on us.

 

[Hambombs]

id agree- all though the Hawks are starting to get intriguing with Dwight and a bunch of shooting- that has gotten LeBron before as @HurricaneDij39 stated.....the Hawks look pretty good too. Schroeder looks really good and like he can more than handle the PG spot...Bazemore played great against the Cavs and is a guy who- while he cant slow down LeBron- is at least one of the more respectable SF in the East when it comes to defending LEBron.....

you make a good point about Carroll and he was hurt last year if i remember correctly....at least banged up.

I agree hawks are probably right there with Toronto too against the cavs. Dwight gives them something that the Hawks didn't have which is rim protection inside. They were able to abuse the Hawks inside before

 

[purguy12]

looking like its Atlanta and the Bulls.

 

[tlance]

The Hawks look pretty good. Toronto is also tough as Derozan seems to have taken his game to another level. Boston is the 3rd team that is a wild card. Once they get healthy, they could end up being a peer of the Cavs if they use their future assets to pull off the right trade. They have the fire power to add a legit star without giving up a key rotation player.

Nobody else has any shot.