The Boring Cavaliers Look Unstoppable Right Now, Yet Doubts Remain
By Kyle Koster
The Cleveland Cavaliers didn’t play close to their best against the Toronto Raptors in Game 2 and still cruised to a 19-point victory. This comes on the heels of a 31-point blowout in Game 1.
With Jonas Valančiūnas injured and Kyle Lowry continuing to suffer from Non-Clutchitis, it’s hard to imagine Toronto will be able to force even a fifth game.
It is clear the Raptors will be nothing more than a small speed bump as LeBron James’ big, bad machine motors into the NBA Finals. The talent disparity between Cleveland and the rest of the conference has been on display since the playoffs begin. The Cavaliers have won all 10 contests they’ve played — six of them by double-digit margins.
From a neutral perspective, what the Cavs are doing is boring. The result of the game seems predetermined before it begins and the scoreboard lopsided by halftime.
The hope is that the Finals, whether it brings a matchup with the Thunder or Warriors, will more than make up for the three previous Cavaliers-dominated series. And there’s optimism it will, especially if Golden State emerges out of the West for a rematch.
James has been told over and over again — perhaps rightly — that he is no longer the best player in basketball. His quest for a third championship was derailed by injuries and Stephen Curry a year ago. The Warriors came into Cleveland in January and walked away with a 34-point win.
Motivation will not be a factor. Unlike last year, personnel will not be an issue. Even after 10 straight wins, some aren’t convinced the Cavs have figured things out enough to challenge the Western Conference winner.
If they aren’t a believer by now, they will never be.
The Cavs will complete the sweep and get even more rest. Golden State-Oklahoma City will go at least six games and the winner will emerged battered and bruised. All the pieces are falling into place for James & Co.
The scariest part for their next opponent is that Cleveland is dominating without having to put the pedal to the metal. At times they look as bored as the casual viewer.
That will soon change with better competition. Whether their level of play suddenly drops dramatically is a different story. Personally, I’ve seen enough to think they’ll keep rolling.