Everyone considers the Cleveland Cavaliers one of the five NBA teams that could win the title.  The reasoning is simple.  LeBron James is the best player.  But, after consecutive losses to the Celtics and Raptors, bandwagon members are jumping.  I must ask, why were people high on this team initially?

LeBron is stupendous.  He’s the ideal physical specimen for a basketball player, but look at his supporting cast.

Pretend the Cavs’ starting lineup is Mo Williams, Anthony Parker, Jamario Moon, Anderson Varejao and Shaquille O’Neal’s expiring contract.  Daniel Gibson and Zydrunas Ilgauskas are the first two guys off the bench.

Does that team make the playoffs?  Do they win 30 games?  25?  If not, how is that the backbone of a championship team?  Adding an overachieving LeBron, that team has an Eastern Conference Finals ceiling.  That team has no Scottie.  They’re missing even a Kukoc.

Every minute Shaquille O’Neal is in the game, the opposition can force him to come out on a pick and roll and have a good chance of scoring.  The Big Shaqtus moniker is fitting.  He’s prickly and no longer mobile.

As constituted, the Cavs can’t win the title.  They aren’t even a team that’s demonstrably better than he would get elsewhere next year.

Sportswriters scoff at him going to the Clippers.  Assuming they trade the caveman to clear space, that would give the Clips Baron Davis, Eric Gordon, LeBron, Blake Griffin and Camby with Al Thornton coming off the bench.

Throw in a real head coach and some contributing veterans enticed by LeBron and LA.  Perhaps, some new unis to revitalize the team’s image.  That team could do some damage.