Revitalizing Cleveland Basketball
The Cavaliers will begin their season on October 19th with an optimism and excitement that hasn't existed in Cleveland since Number 23 last wore the wine and gold. The energy leading up to this season is founded in the Cavs' young core of Donavan Mitchell, Darius Garland, Evan Mobley, and Jarrett Allen. These four stand-outs will have the support of veterans Kevin Love, Robin Lopez, and Ricky Rubio, along with the services of several other intriguing role-players.
Last season, the Cavs finished with a 44-38 record, good for just 9th in an increasingly competitive Eastern Conference. They were eliminated from the postseason during the play-in tournament by the Brooklyn Nets and Atlanta Hawks.
It's time for Cleveland to take a step forward. Head coach J.B. Bickerstaff has been leading the team since 2020, offering some continuity in the organization's leadership - an overlooked and undervalued piece of a team's success. He is surely more eager than you or me to see the franchise take the next step, and after exceeding expectations last season, the Cavs want to do so again.
Health and Injury Outlook
Much of the range of possibilities for the Cavs' season will be determined by the health of the team's key players. Mitchell is a player with above-average durability, averaging 69 games played per season over the course of his career. Garland, E. Mobley, and Allen have averaged 60.3, 69, and 58 games played respectively. Mobley's number is also unusually high, but we only have a one-season sample-size to work with. God-willing, the quartet can avoid any major injuries, maximizing their opportunities to win games and improve together as a team. Those small differences in chemistry and team experience can make the difference in the postseason.
All four young core players have logged minutes on the floor this preseason. Possibly the largest concern at the moment is Evan Mobley's recovery from a recent right ankle sprain. There are plenty of other injury concerns to track throughout the Cavs roster (along with every other NBA team), but the health of these four will have the biggest impact on the Cavs' ability to win in the 22-23 season.
Predictions
The Cavs are going to take the next step - perhaps a little bigger next step than most analysts are willing to give them. The general consensus seems to be that the Cavs will either be in the upper tier of the play-in tournament, or manage a 6th seed and have a strong but unsuccessful first-round showing.
I'm willing to be more optimistic. Youth and enthusiasm can lead to stronger regular-season commitment, and this lively team feels it has a lot to prove. My prediction is that the Cavs will finish the regular season at Number 5 in the East with a record of 49 wins and 33 losses. They will face the Toronto Raptors in the first round and come out on top, before falling to the Boston Celtics in the second round.
A strong 22-23 will set up the Cavs as a force to be reckoned with in the East, and then... we'll have to make some new predictions for 23-24.
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