LeBron James Makes Cavaliers Most Dangerous Playoff Team

In a three team deal, the Cavaliers brought in former nemesis F/C Ben Wallace to shore up the defense they had been missing and gave them a feared presence in the paint, as the Cavaliers had been thought of as soft. They acquired a good shooting and pushing point guard in Delonte West.

They got another outside shooter in Wally Szczerbiak. They also added veteran re-bounder and shooter Joe Smith, a former No.1 overall pick. What they gave up was a finally healthy Larry Hughes who had started shooting better, a good low post scorer in Drew Gooden, a good perimeter defender in Ira Newble, a good outside shooter and re-bounder in Donyell Marshall.

Also in the trade was second year player Shannon Brown who spent half the season in the NBDL with also traded F Cedric Simmons. James had carried his team all year long to the tune of 30 ppg and almost a triple double every night for the Cavaliers to get the win.

Now that the players have had over a week and a half to gel the Cavaliers will start getting returns on their trade. Wallace’s ppg has gone up by two and his rebounding and defense have never waivered.

Szczerbiak has been a consistent shooter from long range and also Mike Brown has said, a good defender. West has been a great point guard, setting up the offense, is able to shoot and drive and also is a surprisingly good rebounded for a 6-2 guard. Joe Smith has been as advertised, a veteran presence who can shoot and rebound effectively off the bench.

James is playing at an all time high level, a level where six year veterans who went to a major college never get to. James must unquestionably be the MVP, or it is highway robbery.

Most people around the league do not want to face the Cavaliers in the second round of the playoffs because of James alone. The Cavaliers have a distinct advantage over any other playoff team in the Eastern Conference. Finals experience and the best player in the NBA at any given moment on the court and can take over a game whenever he chooses to do so.

After James crushed the Pistons spirit in Detroit last season in Game Five of the Eastern Conference Finals, with 29 of the Cavaliers final 30 points and an overtime win the Cavaliers are in their heads and have control over them. They match up well and even more so now with West on the perimeter and Wallace inside to help James, who is the Cavaliers best on ball defender.

The Celtics are the big three and some pieces parts. Point guard Rajon Rondo has been great, but adding Sam Cassel will hurt them a lot in the same aspect. They haven’t played together in the playoffs before and it has been a few years since Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett made the playoffs.

The Cavaliers have Wallace to match Garnett on the defensive end. The Celtics do not have a player who can match James’ scoring ability at the end of games, nor do they have anyone who an go one-on-one with him to stop him.

Granted not a lot of players in the NBA can stop James, but if the Celtics do double team him, Gibson and Pavlovich will be back, Szczerbiak, Smith and West are all excellent shooters from mid to long range.

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