10 Reasons Why This Year's Cavaliers Are Already Better Than Last Year's Heat
The 2014 Cleveland Cavaliers are already more talented than the 2013 Eastern Conference Champion Miami Heat. Here's why.
Image via @Lanzieri
1.
As officially reported this morning by Adrian Wojnarowski and long thought to be the likely scenario, Kevin Love will be traded from the Minnesota Timberwolves to the Cleveland Cavaliers in exchange for this year's #1 pick Andrew Wiggins, last year's #1 pick Anthony Bennett, and a protected 2015 first-round pick. Obviously this is a blockbuster deal that creates a seismic shift in the NBA's power structure, having handed Cleveland another All-Star to pair with superstar point guard Kyrie Irving and earth's best basketball player LeBron James.
But is it enough?
Last year LeBron's Miami team fell hard in the NBA Finals to the San Antonio Spurs, and when King James announced his plans to return home to Cleveland earlier this summer, many (including LeBron) thought it might take a few years before the Cavs could seriously contend for a title. Kevin Love changes all of that. Now, less than a month removed from the now-famous "I'm Coming Home" article, the Cavaliers look poised to dominate the Eastern Conference and make a serious run at the Larry O'Brien trophy. Is it possible Bron could go to his fifth NBA Finals in as many years and actually win it in his first year with a new team? Decide for yourself after peeping 10 Reasons Why This Year's Cavaliers Are Already Better Than Last Year's Heat.
2.Age
It's no secret that the Miami Heat were an aging basketball team, but just exactly how old they were can be quite shocking. Check out the birth dates on this roster from basketball-reference.com.
3.
Four players born in the 70's and three born in 1980? Suppose Florida always has been known as a great place for retirement.
4.Legitimate Big Men
In Miami, LeBron James found himself buried low in the post battling for rebounds and protecting the rim far more often than he probably should have been, mostly because the Heat lacked any real authoritative big men. Sure Bosh is an excellent power forward, but in the Heat's scheme he became more of a jump shooter than a physical center.
With the Cavs, LeBron will be joined in the front court by Kevin Love and Anderson Varejao, two players with size who last year averaged 12.5 and 9.7 rebounds a game respectively. The year before that they averaged 14 and 14.5 rebounds respectively. While Cleveland may still have some issues with rim protection, these are two guys who know how to clean the glass and use their size. Which when coupled with their offensive skills — something Heat centers like Joel Anthony, Chris "Birdman" Andersen, and Greg "Fisticuffs" Oden lacked — may help LeBron form the best front court in the East.
5.Uncle Drew > Super Mario
And it's not even close. Averaging 21/6 vs. 11/6, being six years younger, and having only been in the league for three years? Not close.
Sorry, Alaska.
6.Not All On LeBron
Dwyane Wade missed 28 games last year. That's 1/3 of the "Big Three" who spent over 1/3 of the season wearing loafers instead of, uh, Li Nings. That put entirely too much pressure on Bron to not only facilitate the offense, but to be the majority of the offense for long stretches of the season. King James isn't 23 years old anymore; playing 37+ minutes for 80+ games starts to take its toll.
7.This Picture Of Dwyane Wade's Left Knee
BRUH.
8.David Blatt Is As Good If Not Better Than Erik Spoelstra
He's still a relative unknown to most NBA fans, but the smart basketball people seem to think David Blatt is not only a decent coach, but one of the best coaches in the world. His resumé only strengthens that argument. Just last year David Blatt took Maccabi Tel Aviv B.C., an Israeli team not expected to even make it to the EuroBasket Final Four, to the EuroBasket Finals and WON after beating Real Madrid 98-86 in overtime. The well-traveled American coach even somehow managed to win a bronze medal with Russia in the 2012 Olympics. Quick: name a Russian basketball player.
...Exactly.
PS - Alexey Shved. Plays for the T-wolves.
9.National Support
The Heatles, for the most part, were hated. NBA fans hated "The Decision" and LeBron James and many people who might otherwise not have cared very openly rooted against the Heat. Things will be different now that LeBron is in Cleveland. After King James' love letter to Ohio, it'll be hard for fans anywhere to not pull for Cleveland, a city that hasn't won a championship of any kind since 1964.
Besides, Miami fans...
10.
...are a lot easier to hate than Cleveland fans.
11.
12.Depth
Miami's lack of team depth was exposed during last year's Finals (among other things). In Cleveland, LeBron will find more players who can help off the bench than what he had been working with in the recent past. Tristan Thompson has the opportunity to turn into a much more effective sixth man than, say, (old) Rashard Lewis or (really old) Ray Allen.
13.Easier Division
Paul George's bad break may turn out to be a lucky break for LeBron's new team. The Pacers are already looking like a mere shell of the team they could've been with PG, leaving Chicago as the only real competition in the Central Division. Miami, on the other hand, had to deal with rising Washington and Charlotte squads, an undying Atlanta team, and will face an improved Orlando Magic in the upcoming year.
14.Dion Waiters vs. Dwyane Wade
Nobody is saying Dion Waiters is anywhere close to the player Dwyane Wade has been, but he's certainly closer to present-day Wade than many might think. Per every 36 minutes, Wade only averaged 1.5 more points, assists, and rebounds than Waiters. That's from a guy who was on the floor with one of the best players (and passers) in basketball history versus a second-year guard on a struggling team. That's a world champion team's second or third option versus what will be a contending team's fourth or fifth option. When put into perspective, Dion's production isn't that far off from what Dwyane accomplished in a pretty decent season.