Cleveland Cavaliers Can Rewrite Numerous Career Paths During NBA Playoffs
While the Cleveland Cavaliers' first-round opponent has yet to be finalized, excitement is still brewing for the 2015 postseason.
With the obvious goal being a team championship, there are plenty of other personal storylines to follow.
The Cavaliers are a team loaded with captivating players who've all taken a different road to get here.
LeBron James is a two-time title winner but has yet to deliver in Cleveland. Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love put up big numbers for lottery-bound teams but couldn't win on their own. Timofey Mozgov, Iman Shumpert and J.R. Smith were graciously traded from losing situations by teams that had backups in place or were just happy to receive the salary-cap relief.
Even coach David Blatt, who had to learn the NBA on the fly this year, will have his legacy decided after the regular season ends.
Career paths can be altered, enhanced, torn down or completely rewritten during the playoffs. For the following five Cavaliers, much is at stake.
David Blatt
1 of 5
What Blatt Was: Over-his-head rookie head coach
What He Could Become: Playoff mastermind
Blatt took over for Mike Brown last summer after 20 seasons of coaching in Israel, Greece, Turkey, Italy and Russia.
We know he was hired before the whole James-Love superteam was formed. Talks of Blatt being over his head, not NBA-ready and having a disconnect with his team just two months in were prevalent.
After a public backing from general manager David Griffin in early January, followed by the return of a healthy James and a few key trades, Blatt's Cavaliers caught fire. Cleveland is 32-9 since Jan. 15, and that includes the recent resting of key players.
“I’ve gone through my own learning curve that I’ve obviously worked through,” Blatt told Hillel Kuttler of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency in March. “Two-thirds through the regular season I’ve become a lot more comfortable, and a lot more cognizant of the things that are necessary to make a winning situation on an NBA team."
While Blatt is wrapping up a 50-plus-win first season, his work in the playoffs could be even better.
His biggest strengths lie in game planning and getting players prepared. The Cavaliers lost many a game to teams that they were facing for the first time, only to turn around and beat them the next meeting. This is a list that included the San Antonio Spurs, Portland Trail Blazers, Washington Wizards, Utah Jazz, Toronto Raptors, Oklahoma City Thunder, Dallas Mavericks and Golden State Warriors.
This speaks to Blatt's ability to dissect an opponent and make the necessary adjustments to counter its strengths. In a best-of-seven series, Blatt should really begin to shine.
J.R. Smith
2 of 5
What Smith Was: New York Knicks' unwanted head case
What He Could Become: Unsung playoff hero
While Smith's act was wearing thin in New York, Cleveland has done nothing but ask for more.
Smith is averaging 12.7 points, 3.6 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 1.5 steals as the Cavaliers' starting shooting guard. He's been the ideal fourth option on offense by spotting up, spacing the floor and creating driving lanes for James and Irving.
His role is simple yet crucial to the way Cleveland plays. As James told Matthew Florjancic of WKYC Cleveland:
"With J.R., you don't have him running pick-and-rolls. You have me and Kyrie (Irving) setting pick-and-rolls so he can be the recipient on the backside. You put guys in the right position where they succeed the most, and that's where a team comes together because everyone does their part, and that's all part of having a role. J.R. fits his role tremendously, and more.
"
Smith's role may be simple now, but it should magnify when the postseason begins.
When teams flock to double-team guys like James and Irving, they'll need Smith to hit open shots and help spread the defense out again.
Role players like Mike Miller, James Jones and Shane Battier have all thrived next to James in the past, even achieving heroic status at times. Smith is a better athlete than all three, and he is able to defend multiple positions with his 6'6" frame.
Going from a reserve on the NBA's worst team to a key starter on what could eventually be the league's best, Smith can perhaps rewrite his legacy more than any other Cavalier.
Kyrie Irving
3 of 5
What Irving Was: Flashy, score-first guard on lottery teams
What He Could Become: Next superstar floor general
Irving is the longest-tenured active Cavalier, an impressive feat for a 23-year-old.
He's been through the struggle. The lottery trips. The constant pressure of being forced to lead a team that had experienced so much success shortly before his arrival.
While Irving certainly did his part by winning Rookie of the Year and making the All-Star team in just his sophomore season, Cleveland still remained one of the league's worst teams.
With the losses piling up, many used Irving as the scapegoat, questioning his leadership and desire to even stay with the Cavaliers. As he told Chris Haynes of the Northeast Ohio Media Group, last season took a mental toll on him as well.
"It really got to me. I'm not a big Twitter person and I don't Tweet a lot of my emotions, but last year I was clarifying because there were so many sources. I'm dealing with people coming at my character. Saying I'm detrimental to my teammates and I'm like, 'Man, that's not even close to who I am at all.'
It started to get to me because once people start to question the things that you're doing, and you know you're not doing them, then it starts to get to you.
"
After signing a five-year, $90 million max extension in the summer and blending beautifully as James' sidekick, Irving is on a superstar-esque rise.
Irving's scoring has actually increased alongside James, and his three-point shooting sits at a career-best 41.7 percent. He's proven all he can in the regular season, and he simply must carry this strong play on a winning team over into June.
Kevin Love
4 of 5
What Love Was: Former stat-stuffer turned third wheel
What He Could Become: Key to Cavaliers' offense
Perhaps no Cav needs a strong playoff run to increase his stock more than Love.
A player who many believed to be the best power forward in the game has now shrunk back from the spotlight, forced to play a reduced role for the Cavaliers this season.
After years of putting up gaudy stats on lowly Minnesota Timberwolves teams, Love is finally winning, and he doesn't receive the credit he deserves.
While he may be the Cavs' third scoring option this season, Love's presence alone has a positive impact on players like James and Irving. His ability to hit the three forces opponents to step out and guard him, helping to create driving lanes.
Cleveland scores nearly five more points per 100 possessions with Love on the floor, and the team's rebounding, passing, shooting percentage and turnover rate also improve.
Love's presence has also made things easier for Cleveland's best player. James shoots 50.8 percent from the field and 37.8 from deep with Love in the game, compared to just 45.1 from the field and 29.7 at the arc with Love resting.
He may not go for 20-30 points as much anymore, but Love has been extremely important to the Cavaliers. When double-teams come in the playoffs on James, it will be up to Love to carry the team on offense for stretches.
Throughout his career, Love has been forced to choose between winning or putting up big numbers.
In this postseason, he may get to do both.
LeBron James
5 of 5
What James Was: MVP who failed to bring Cavaliers a title
What He Could Become: Savior of Cleveland sports
James' return to Cleveland is one of the greatest storylines we've witnessed in recent sports history. To truly be complete, however, a title in the most championship-starved city must be obtained.
It was a mission that began 12 years ago after James was drafted straight out of St. Vincent-St. Mary High School in Akron. Five trips to the postseason resulted in five disappointing endings. The talent around James just wasn't there.
Now, five years since his last postseason appearance in a Cavaliers uniform, James' goal remains the same. As he stated in the now-infamous Sports Illustrated letter, "Our city hasn’t had that feeling in a long, long, long time. My goal is still to win as many titles as possible, no question. But what’s most important for me is bringing one trophy back to Northeast Ohio."
James is already the greatest player in team history, but if he doesn't win a championship with the Cavaliers during his career, his legacy will be somewhat tarnished. Conversations will turn from "Wasn't that LeBron James great?" to "It's too bad James could never win a title for Cleveland." There's no way James will ever be considered better than Michael Jordan if he finished with only two rings, either.
Between his shoulder blades resides a tattoo that reads "Chosen 1." The Cavaliers need this new, wiser, more mature James to live up to his ink and deliver.
MVP, NBA's best player and the chosen one are all nifty titles. For James, being crowned the savior of Cleveland sports may be even sweeter.
Greg Swartz has covered the Cleveland Cavaliers and NBA for Bleacher Report since 2010. All stats provided by Basketball-Reference.com unless otherwise noted.
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