Four Reasons the Cleveland Cavaliers Won't Win It All

There are a number of analysts, so-called experts, and prognosticators who will tell you all the reasons why [fill in NBA contender here] can win the NBA title.

Here at LayupDrill.com, we like to tell our readers the facts and never sugarcoat them.

We all can agree that any of the half a dozen legitimate title contenders out there have many strengths and if the chips fall their way, you could see any of them hoisting the NBA Championship in June.

We want to take a timeout to break down the top four reasons why each team will not win it all. We start this special series with the current best record in the East, the Cleveland Cavaliers.

At the time of this story, Cleveland sits on top of the very competitive Eastern Conference at 49-13.

With the Celtics' injury problems and the Orlando Magic's streaky play of late, Cleveland’s margin of error to gain home court advantage in the playoffs may be a little bigger than their game-and-a-half lead in the standings.

Whether the Cavs have home court or not, there are definitive reasons why they will not become the NBA champions this spring.

 

1. Lack of a True Low-Post Scoring Threat

With the pickup of Joe Smith, the Cavs filled the void opened by the injury of Ben Wallace. Smith, however, does not command double teams or make teammates better by getting them open shots.

The Celtics and Magic both can continue to double team or play a soft zone on LeBron James.

They can take their chances that Mo Williams has a career series and beats them himself.

The Celtics' big men combination of Kevin Garnett, Glen Davis, Leon Powe, and Kendrick Perkins trumps any Cleveland combination.

Meanwhile, the Cavs also have no answer for Dwight Howard of the Magic, which may also be a reason they were flirting with bringing in Shaq before the All-Star Break.

 

2. Too Much On the Shoulders of No. 23

The 2008-2009 Cavs remind me a lot of the Chicago Bulls the season before they broke through and captured their first NBA title in the “Jordan era.”

The 1989-1990 Bulls had their toughest adversary in their hated rival, the World Champion Detroit Pistons.

Chicago finished the regular season at 55-27 and breezed through the first two rounds of the playoffs. This set up a showdown with Detroit.

The seven-game series showed the Bulls what they were lacking. It allowed them to eventually overcome Detroit the following year.

The combination of talented three-point specialists (John Paxon, Craig Hodges), rugged frontcourt players (Bill Cartwright, Horace Grant), and an able sidekick (Scottie Pippen) gave the Bulls plenty of reason for hope during much of the season.

In key moments of the Pistons series, however, Chicago had to rely too much on Mike.

Fast-forward to today’s Cavs: A combination of long-distance shooters (Daniel Gibson, Delonte West), veteran forwards (Anderson Varejao, Joe Smith, Ben Wallace), and an able swingman (Mo Williams) should have no problems getting to at least the East Finals.

If they wind up seeing the Celtics again, the scenario of nearly 20 years ago could play out one more time.

 

3. The Potential Western Conference NBA Finals Matchup

If Cleveland is able to break through and make it to the NBA Finals for a second time in three years, their potential matchup from the West would likely be favored.

The Lakers match up very well with Cleveland, and if Kobe Bryant and company were to hold home court overall throughout the playoffs, Game Seven could be the deciding factor.

The Spurs, who defeated the Cavs in a sweep two short seasons ago, have been to the dance many times before and I would place my bets on Tim Duncan to give one more timeless performance for his fifth ring.

Perhaps the most interesting matchup would be the Utah Jazz.

LeBron would likely spend some time guarding Deron Williams, and the powerful frontcourt of Carlos Boozer and Paul Millsap could cause all types of problems for the Cavs.

 

4. Will the Cavs Coaching Staff Fold under the Pressure?

When the Cavs broke through to make it to the NBA Finals a couple seasons ago, it was a nice story and many did not expect it.

After last season’s seven-game classic series against the Celtics, many expected this to be the year the Cavs took the next step.

Knowing that LeBron James, who is everything for the franchise, could potentially change the shift of the entire league by leaving Cleveland after next season, head coach Mike Brown and company know that they need to win.

Anything less than reaching the NBA Finals would be looked upon as a disappointing season to the Cavs, and if there was ever a year they could break through, the year is now.

That being said, the NBA playoffs are all about surviving and advancing.

An entire series can be shifted on one single play.

Teams are so even in the East that a bounce of the ball in one direction or another can change the course of a team’s fate.

Doc Rivers took a huge step last season in proving why he is a big-time coach by keeping his group of veteran superstars poised and hungry the entire year.

When they faced adversity in the playoffs, they did not fold.

The Celtics last year could have crumbled in Game Seven in either the first or second round, as well as in Game Four of the NBA Finals against the Lakers, but they did not.

If the Cavs find themselves in similar positions this year, will they be able to withstand the pressure of the moment?