I'm upping the ante. Forget the East, the Cavs will win an NBA championship this year.

I'm calling it now.  In his first year back with the lottery team Cleveland Cavaliers, in his first year in working with a new head coach who has absolutely zero NBA experience at any level, while being surrounded by a group of guys who have never even sniffed the playoffs (well, until they signed Kendrick Perkins recently), LeBron James will win another ring.

And if he does with this team in year 1, the debate is over. Close the book. Fini. The end. We know who the GOAT is.

boards of FL wrote:I'm calling it now, in his first year back with the lottery team Cleveland Cavaliers, with a head coach who has absolutely zero NBA experience, surrounded by a group of guys who have never even sniffed the playoffs (well, until they signed Kendrick Perkins recently), LeBron James will win another ring.

Do you think James is coachable?  IMO James runs the team.

LeBron is absolutely coachable. Don't confuse strong leadership with a lack of coachability.

boards of FL wrote:LeBron is absolutely coachable.  Don't confuse strong leadership with a lack of coachability.

The only strong coach he has had was on the olympic team....Coach K.  Lebron says he is coachable but I don't think he has had strong coaches.

James is definitely a team player and gets along well with coaches. I definitely do not see Cleveland even in the top five teams. I see the top five as Chicago, Houston, Warriors, Atlanta, and Dallas. I think Toronto, DC, and Cleveland certainly could get into the East final. Right now Atlanta is executing perfectly front screens on the point for threes, and they have VERY good shooters. They are great in transition. The Bulls can beat anybody, but it depends on who shows up and who is injured. The Warriors have proven they are the best in the NBA right now. Cleveland is easy to beat with good defense, because their defense is soft. They are not a championship team. Maybe next year. They have done very well playing weak Eastern teams, not as good on Western Conference teams, where the Bulls beat the best, and lose to the weakest......both teams have many bugs to work out before playoffs......Cleveland must find defense.

The Cavs cannot get by the Bulls in a seven game series.........the Bulls have arrived. Their starters beat the Cav starters, and their Bench is unbeatable by any team in the NBA's bench. The Bulls are the team to beat. Their inconsistencies and injuries are slowly evolving. They have one of the best records over the last four years, and that is with their key players being injured. Better coach.....better players.....better results.

Unless you're running Spurs-style team, it takes stars to reach the finals.  Chicago doesn't have that, and they definitely aren't running a Spurs-like organization.  Derrick Rose was a star, but today he simply isn't the same guy.

Kobe, Duncan, and Lebron.  15 of the last 16 NBA finals have had one of those three guys in it.  The one year that didn't had Wade and Shaq.

This will continue to be the case for at least another year.

Noah......defensive player of the year 2014
Butler......all star
Pau........all star....future hall of famer
Coach.....no comparison
Stats:
points......cavs 8th......Bulls 9th
assists......cavs 12th.....Bulls 15th
rebounds...Bulls 2nd.....cavs 18th
blocks.......Bulls 1st......cavs 25th
free throws.....Bulls 2nd.......cavs 17th
Three points...Bulls 7th.......cavs 12th
team defense......tied at 12th


If you know basketball you can get the whole answer by these stats. Neither the Bulls or Cavs are playing defense at the level of the usual NBA champion. Memphis, Atlanta, San Antonio, Ok City, are all top 10. The Bulls and the Cavs must improve defense in the next 30 games and certainly in the playoffs......the Bulls losing a wounded Rose who was struggling on defense puts Henrich, Snell, and Gibson more minutes on the floor who are excellent defenders.....the Bulls need Rose at 100%, but he played half the games wounded.......Cleveland has NO inside strength and statistically is not even a top five team.......superstars alone cannot get it done......Cleveland's stats tell the whole story.....if they approve, they are in the race for the East....but currently.....just not that good of a team.

2seaoat wrote:Noah......defensive player of the year 2014
Butler......all star
Pau........all star....future hall of famer
Coach.....no comparison
Stats:
points......cavs 8th......Bulls 9th
assists......cavs 12th.....Bulls 15th
rebounds...Bulls 2nd.....cavs  18th
blocks.......Bulls 1st......cavs   25th
free throws.....Bulls 2nd.......cavs  17th
Three points...Bulls 7th.......cavs  12th
team defense......tied at 12th


If you know basketball you can get the whole answer by these stats.  Neither the Bulls or Cavs are playing defense at the level of the usual NBA champion.  Memphis, Atlanta, San Antonio, Ok City,  are all top 10.  The Bulls and the Cavs must improve defense in the next 30 games and certainly in the playoffs......the Bulls losing a wounded Rose who was struggling on defense puts Henrich, Snell, and Gibson more minutes on the floor who are excellent defenders.....the Bulls need Rose at 100%, but he played half the games wounded.......Cleveland has NO inside strength and statistically is not even a top five team.......superstars alone cannot get it done......Cleveland's stats tell the whole story.....if they approve, they are in the race for the East....but currently.....just not that good of a team.

Smart money disagrees with you.

Smart money disagrees with you.

They had their odds set for Cleveland before they played a game, which means that many people made the decision on paper before actually watching this team play. Tonight is an excellent test. The Warriors lead in almost every stat, and if Cleveland can beat the Warriors.......then they may have the horses. The Bulls beat the Warriors handily the last meeting, but the Bulls get up for good teams and lay down for weak teams.....bad habits.....and sadly Rose had a great game against the warriors and he is no longer in the mix.

2seaoat wrote:Smart money disagrees with you.

They had their odds set for Cleveland before they played a game, which means that many people made the decision on paper before actually watching this team play.  Tonight is an excellent test.  The Warriors lead in almost every stat, and if Cleveland can beat the Warriors.......then they may have the horses.   The Bulls beat the Warriors handily the last meeting, but the Bulls get up for good teams and lay down for weak teams.....bad habits.....and sadly Rose had a great game against the warriors and he is no longer in the mix.

That's a good theory, but the reality is that the odds of a Cleveland NBA championship win were something like 8/1 before anyone had seen them play. Today - after seeing them play and after the addition of Perkins and Mozgov - the odds are 11/5.

Lebron just lit up the best team in the NBA. 42 pts, 11 rebounds, 5 assists, 3 steals, and shot 60%. Give'em the MVP and another ring.

Another good one coming up on Sunday. Cleveland on the road at Houston on ABC.

Lebron just lit up the best team in the NBA. 42 pts, 11 rebounds, 5 assists, 3 steals, and shot 60%. Give'em the MVP and another ring.


He usually does not lite up the Bulls.....Butler has his number......They still have to get by Atlanta and the Bulls. They beat a very good team tonight.

Bulls lose at home and Lebron can't hit a free throw.

Impressive stuff.


Both teams could win it all, but both are probably going to have a difficult time with the eventual Western division winner. Both teams have huge issues right now.

Butler out for 6 weeks with elbow strain(nasty video to watch). Some would think this is a horrible thing for the Bulls. I believe just the opposite. They now can play Doug, Niko, and Snell which have incredible 3 point and general offensive potency......they lose defensive ground again with this injury and have been playing a miserable 12th like the Cavs sucking on defense. However, when a second year player and two rookies with this much talent can break into minutes with Thibs.....stay tuned......this team will be better going into the playoffs because of these injuries.....assuming Butler is 90% and Rose is 80% on their return......big team upside.

The Bulls with three of their top six players injured took down the Wizards who are in a slump. Rookies and second year players are getting playing time. Six weeks as the starters ease back into the lineup, you will see a great team developing.

2seaoat wrote:The Bulls with three of their top six players injured took down the Wizards who are in a slump.  Rookies and second year players are getting playing time.  Six weeks as the starters ease back into the lineup, you will see a great team developing.

If they meet in the playoffs, the Cavs will take them down in 5 without breaking a sweat.

If they meet in the playoffs, the Cavs will take them down in 5 without breaking a sweat.


The Cavs will be incapable of beating them in April with the Bulls still short handed, let alone in the playoffs. If the Cavs play Atlanta in the playoffs, the Bulls will not even get a chance to play the Cavs.....The Cavs suck on defense, rebounding and team play......you do not win Championships with that formula. James did a drive behind the back full speed crossover dunk which was beautiful but Atlanta can play defense and the Bulls will simply dominate the Cavs with their depth which with injuries is getting even deeper.