The Cavaliers have been sticking it hard to their opponents through the first 10 games of the 2016 NBA Playoffs. After sweeping the Pistons and Hawks and jumping out to a 2-0 lead over the Raptors in the Eastern Conference Finals, Cleveland is currently sitting just one game shy of tying the NBA record for most consecutive wins to start the postseason (the Lakers started with 11 straight wins during both the 1989 and 2001 NBA Playoffs). Some NBA fans will say LeBron James & Co. are peaking at the right time. Others will say, "Who cares? Have you seen the competition the Cavaliers have faced in the East?!" But whatever line of thinking you subscribe to, a perfect 10-0 record is nothing to scoff at. It's been surprising to see just how easily the Cavs have moved through the postseason.
LeBron probably isn't surprised, though, because he may have seen this all coming. Six weeks ago, after the Cavs lost to the Bulls in their second-to-last game of the regular season, James was speaking with ESPN reporter Dave McMenamin when he revealed that he didn't think an undefeated run through the playoffs was out of the question for Cleveland. McMenamin asked LeBron if he was prepared to play in 20 to 25 games during the postseason, and LeBron responded by suggesting that he didn't believe the Cavs were going to need that many games to advance through the playoffs. Here's the exchange that took place, according to McMenamin:
"So are you guys really going to be ready to play 20-25 games that matter starting next week after a night like tonight?"
McMenamin reminded LeBron about what he said after Cleveland's 108-89 Game 2 win over Toronto on Thursday night, and LeBron's response was essentially, "Told ya!"
"You looked at me like I was crazy," James said. "We have a long way to go. But this is a great start."
Spoiler alert: The Cavaliers are most likely not going to finish 16-0 in the playoffs. Even if they sweep the Raptors, they're going to run into a buzz saw in the NBA Finals in the form of either Steph Curry and the Warriors or Kevin Durant and the Thunder. But LeBron is, in all likelihood, going to end up playing in less than 20 games in the playoffs despite making it all the way to the Finals, and that in and of itself, is pretty amazing.
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