Cleveland Cavaliers: Top 5 Obstacles the Team Faces for the 2014-15 Season
As the 2014-15 season opens, the Cleveland Cavaliers look like a legitimate NBA title contender. The arrivals of LeBron James and Kevin Love this summer instantly transformed the team from lottery dwellers into a potential dynasty force.
They also locked up Kyrie Irving to a maximum contract extension, giving Cleveland a triumvirate of elite players.
But talent alone doesn't win championships.
The best franchises, like the San Antonio Spurs, achieve victory because their players and coaches mesh with one another and work together to solve problems. They may not be the most talented team, but the Spurs serve as model for the importance of team chemistry and playoff experience.
While the Cavaliers have the pieces to emulate the Spurs' success and win the title, there are a few obstacles that could derail their quest.
Honorable Mentions
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- David Blatt's transition to the NBA
In June, the Cavaliers made one of the boldest moves of the offseason: hiring Blatt as head coach.
After dismissing Mike Brown one year into his second tenure as Cavaliers head coach, new general manager David Griffin went outside the box for his first hire and made Blatt the first international coach to lead an NBA team.
Blatt, a 55-year-old native of Massachusetts, had just guided Israel's Maccabi Tel Aviv to a Euroleague title over heavily-favored CSKA Moscow.
Spending most of the last 20 years coaching across Europe, Blatt's profile rose in the last few years after his work with Maccabi and the Russian national team. But no one in the NBA pulled the trigger until Cleveland acted.
Blatt is renowned as an offensive wizard, and his teams are noted for their ball movement and outside shooting. Former players raved about his coaching style, but he'll encounter a huge challenge transitioning overseas.
In Europe, Blatt didn't face the caliber of NBA athletes. He'll have to prove he can adjust to the speed and talent of the players and NBA rules.
- Dion Waiters' role
A huge factor for the Cavaliers this season will be Dion Waiters learning to play more off the ball. With LeBron and Irving on the roster, Waiters won't be the primary (or even secondary) ball handler.
Waiters loves to have the ball in his hands. He's one of the most aggressive players in the league at attacking the rim, but that style didn't always endear him to teammates like Irving.
Irving and Waiters weren't able to develop chemistry during their first two years together. Often, they were played separately, with Waiters rotating in and out of the starting lineup.
Over the summer, Waiters raised eyebrows by declaring he would refuse a move to the bench, where he had spent much of his first two seasons.
To stay in the starting lineup, he'll have to sacrifice some of his ego to help the team.
- Health of key players
In any sport, a key resource is availability.
To get the most out of their potential, teams obviously need their best players to stay on the court.
For the Cavaliers, players like Anderson Varejao, Love and Mike Miller have missed extensive time in the past with various injuries. If those guys aren't healthy in May and June, Cleveland would be short on talent and veteran wisdom in the playoffs.
Love especially has to stay healthy for Cleveland to have a shot at a title. Without him, LeBron's workload would double, and the Cavaliers would run the risk of becoming one-dimensional on offense.
LeBron will turn 30 in December. He already has 12 years of NBA wear and tear on his body. It will be crucial for Blatt to monitor LeBron's minutes to avoid the risk of injury and keep him fresh for the playoffs.
5. Frontcourt Defense
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Rim protection is vital to success in the NBA.
Top forwards or centers, like Tim Duncan, Pau Gasol and Kevin Garnett, have carried teams to titles in recent years. Though the NBA is evolving into a more perimeter-based league, it's still crucial for teams to be able to score points down low.
When teams can consistently score in the paint, it demoralizes opponents and forces them to switch out small lineups.
With Love and Tristan Thompson, the Cavaliers boast a talented frontline duo. Love is ferocious on the boards, while Thompson is a plus rebounder and slippery offensive player. But neither of them are great defenders.
When they're on the floor together, opponents will likely try to exploit Love and Thompson in the post. They'll need to show defensive improvement for the Cavs to be more than just an offensive juggernaut.
What helps alleviate some of the problem is the presence of Varejao. He's a strong post defender, but according to Fear the Sword's Trevor Magnotti, Varejao struggles at defending pick and rolls and sliding out to the perimeter. After years of grind and injuries, he doesn't have the athleticism to guard dynamic bigs.
It's key for Blatt and his staff to put those three in situations that can mask some of their individual defensive shortcomings. Luckily, Cleveland brought in rugged low-post defenders Brendan Haywood and Lou Amundson. While neither player will log heavy minutes, they can help their frontcourt mates through the regular season and provide insurance in the playoffs.
But with all those new faces, the Cavaliers will have to find unity.
4. Team Chemistry
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When LeBron left for Miami in 2010 and joined forces with Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh, the Heat didn't storm out of the gate. They suffered through growing pains and frustrating losses that season, which culminated with a humbling six-game defeat to the Mavericks in the Finals. But they endured.
Miami came back the next season with a renewed focus and energy. The previous year fostered chemistry among the Heat players, and everything started to click in that second campaign.
The Heat rolled through the 2012 playoffs and defeated the Thunder in the NBA Finals. The next year, they reached higher plateaus, winning 66 games in the regular season before capturing their second consecutive title.
It took time and patience for LeBron to win in Miami, and the same will be true during his second stint in Cleveland.
The Cavaliers completely remade their roster this past offseason. Along with the additions of LeBron and Love, the team added Shawn Marion, Miller, James Jones, Haywood and Amundson.
They jettisoned much of their roster, including Luol Deng, Spencer Hawes, Anthony Bennett, Tyler Zeller, C.J. Miles, Jarrett Jack and Alonzo Gee.
Outside of Irving, Waiters, Varejao and Matthew Dellavedova, this Cavaliers roster is entirely new.
They'll have to learn how to play together, what each player's strengths and weaknesses are and how to adapt their individual skill sets.
With Blatt, however, the Cavaliers will install an offense that preaches ball movement. They want to play a style similar to what San Antonio employs. But they'll have to prove themselves in the postseason.
3. Playoff Inexperience
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The playoffs are the ultimate litmus test for a player.
Rotations are shortened to maximize playing time for teams' best lineups, defensive intensity rockets up and home crowds fill their arenas with suffocating energy.
It's tough to know how guys will respond until they've been in those scenarios.
Although players like LeBron, Varejao, Miller and Marion bring plenty of playoff experience, the rest of the Cleveland roster hasn't seen much postseason action. That could be a deciding factor.
Love played six seasons in Minnesota, but he never made the playoffs. While no one would argue he's one of the top forwards in the league, there's no evidence for how he will respond to playoff scrutiny.
Irving, Waiters and Thompson face the same dilemma. Not only have they never made the postseason, but they've known only turmoil and losing in their young careers.
How those four players react to their first taste of playoff basketball will determine the Cavaliers' fate. The team can't rely solely on LeBron to carry it to a title. They'll need other players to step up and play beyond their years.
As Jeff Zillgitt noted for USA Today, much of that burden will fall on the shoulders of Love:
"Despite Love's lack of playoff experience, the Cavaliers need him to play like a playoff veteran this season. His willingness to learn from teammates — guys who have won titles — such as LeBron James, Mike Miller, Shawn Marion and James Jones will be critical.
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If Love responds and plays well in the postseason, he'll take pressure off LeBron's shoulders and allow the team to get into a comfort zone.
Fortunately, the Cavaliers have enough veterans who can help guide the young players. They'll need that wisdom, because their path through the Eastern Conference is blocked by an imposing neighbor.
2. Chicago Bulls
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The top challenger to the Cavaliers in the Central Division and the Eastern Conference are the Chicago Bulls.
Chicago finished last season 48-34 and lost to the Washington Wizards in the first round of the playoffs. But they retooled their roster this offseason.
Their biggest addition is the return of Derrick Rose, who missed most of last year after tearing the meniscus in his right knee. Rose is one of the most dynamic and exhilarating players in the league. If he can stay healthy—a big if—Rose will be a nightmare for Kyrie Irving and the Cavaliers to guard.
The Bulls also signed Pau Gasol to pair with Joakim Noah. Gasol brings deft passing and shooting, while Noah is a tenacious defender and rebounder. They should be one of the best big-man duos in the NBA and could exploit the Cavaliers frontcourt defense.
Depth and experience are two of Chicago’s top attributes. Guys like Jimmy Butler, Taj Gibson, Kirk Hinrich and Mike Dunleavy Jr. give them one of the deepest and most playoff-tested teams in the league.
Tony Snell, Aaron Brooks and newcomers Doug McDermott and Nikola Mirotic offer Chicago a rotation capable of going 11 deep. Stopping Chicago will be tough, even when their first unit is off the floor.
But lockdown defense is the Bulls’ calling card. Under head coach Tom Thibodeau, Chicago has finished no worse than third overall in terms of points allowed in the last four seasons. As Zach Lowe examined for Grantland last year, the Bulls pride themselves on discipline and knowing where and how to rotate on any given play. They certainly have the tools to disrupt Blatt’s offense.
If Cleveland finds a way to tame the Bulls, another formidable foe would still stand in its path.
1. San Antonio Spurs
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For the Cavaliers to ascend to the NBA throne, they'll have to unseat the defending champion Spurs.
Easier said than done.
San Antonio has long been the thorn in LeBron's side. From their sweep of the Cavaliers in the 2007 NBA Finals to their five-game destruction of the Heat in last season's championship, the Spurs are responsible for two of LeBron's most lopsided career defeats.
They were able to win those titles not because they had superior talent to Cleveland or Miami, but because they played better as a team. Crisp passing and floor movement, along with unselfishness and defensive discipline, are what make the Spurs great.
In the 2013 Finals, however, the Heat found a way to hand San Antonio their only title loss in the Popovich/Duncan era. Through stingy defense and clutch outside shooting, Miami won an epic seven-game series. That formula may once again hold the answers for LeBron.
San Antonio enters this season with virtually the same roster as last year. They may be another year older, but they're also another year wiser and more confident.
As always, the Spurs are led by the big three of Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili. What helped them regain the title last season were the contributions of role players like Boris Diaw, Patty Mills and Marco Belinelli.
Their ace in the hole is Kawhi Leonard, who has emerged as an elite defender and versatile offensive player. Leonard frustrated LeBron in the last two Finals with pestering defense. He's one of the few guys in the NBA who can slow LeBron on the offensive end.
Should the Cavaliers navigate their way through the Eastern Conference, the Spurs could once again be waiting. And they'll bring their battle-tested brand of basketball.
No matter who Cleveland could face in a possible Finals matchup, LeBron will have to conquer the demons of last year's defeat in order to deliver Cleveland its first title in 50 years. This time, he may have the supporting cast to do it.
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