Yesterday, I talked about who could stop the Celtics. I briefly mentioned the Cleveland Cavaliers as a possible contender.Well after last night's beat down of Philadelphia, the Cavs are here to stay. The loss was so bad, the Sixers fired Mo Cheeks today.
The Cavaliers have now won 11 straight, and have not trailed in the second half of any of these games.
The Celtics are the hottest team in the NBA, but the Cavaliers are right behind. LeBron James scored 28 points last night, with Anderson Varaejao scored 17 points in place of the injured Zydrunas Ilgauskas.
The Cavaliers have put all the pieces together this season. LeBron has improved his free throw shooting, and the players around him have picked up their game. Delonte West has been a nice addition to the team, along with rookie Darnell Jackson.
They are competing at a higher level this season and could give the Boston Celtics a run for their money. Last season Cleveland took Boston to seven game in the 2Nd round of the playoffs. This season Cleveland has been right behind the Celtics all season.
While Boston has gone on a 14 game winning streak, Cleveland has gone on a 11 game winning streak. After starting the season 1-2, the Cavaliers have gone 19-1 since, and have not lost a game at home this season.
Their defense is doing the job. They gave up 25 points in the first quarter of last nights game, but only gave up 47 points the rest of the game. Mike Brown's pedigree as a defensive coach is starting to pay off for Cleveland.
During the winning streak, Cleveland has not had to play LeBron James very much during the 4Th quarter. They have been holding on to their leads while the King rests on the bench. This will be crucial during the stretch run of the season and in the playoffs. A rested James could be dangerous for other teams in the playoffs.
I would look for a Boston vs. Cleveland match up in the Eastern Conference Finals, this season. And don't be surprised if Cleveland is in the finals.
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