5 Cold Hard Truths About the 2008-09 Cavs
May 31, 2009
Overall, the Cavs had a great season and provided Cleveland with a wonderful ride.
But it’s also worthwhile, constructive and necessary to be realistic - and point out five cold truths about the 2008-09 Cavs:
1. Yes, Cavs head coach Mike Brown was out-coached by the Magic’s Stan Van Gundy during the conference finals.
But Cavs general manager Danny Ferry was also “out-GM-ed” by Orlando’s Otis Smith, who did a better job of putting together a balanced, athletic team that could withstand the demands of playoff basketball.
If you’re going to harp on the former, you must also admit the latter.
2. The Cavs got too full of themselves, too soon.
They whined in tiresome fashion when Mo Williams was initially passed over for the All-Star Game.
They show-boated before games - and weren’t above rubbing opponents’ noses in it while winning them.
And all this was BEFORE the playoffs began.
Talk about taking victory laps before the race actually ends.
Talk about being overconfident.
Talk about having hubris.
The Cavs were guilty of all the above. But, too often, it was laughed off as just signs of "a team that likes being together and having fun."
3. The Cavs were penny-wise and pound-foolish when they didn’t pull off that possible trade for Shaquille O’Neal.
The Cavs had a chance to acquire a future Hall of Fame center who was having an impressive All-Star season.
And they reportedly don’t do it because Phoenix didn’t want to take Ben Wallace - and his huge contract - in return?
Because Phoenix wanted Wally Szczerbiak - and his expiring contract - instead?
Wally Szczerbiak’s contract stood in the way of acquiring one of the 50 greatest players in NBA history?
Sure, the price would have been high to have both Shaq and Wallace - two old players with excessive contracts - on the roster next season.
(Then again, maybe not, since Wallace is making noises about retiring.)
But that price wouldn’t have been outweighed - 10 times - by the benefits of winning a title THIS YEAR?
By giving your franchise player LeBron James almost no excuse to leave after NEXT YEAR?
The reality is the Cavs would have probably beaten Orlando if they’d had Shaq as a weapon against Magic center Dwight Howard.
No one can reasonably - reasonably - argue otherwise.
4. Mo Williams is a decent NBA player. But he is nowhere close to being an ELITE NBA player.
For most of the playoffs, Williams was out-played by opposing point guards (Mike Bibby and Rafer Alston) - and, overall, his game didn’t match his talk.
5. The Cavs were overly praised for dominating one of the worst divisions/conferences in pro sports in recent history.
The Cavs won 40 of their 66 regular season games against Eastern Conference teams.
A conference that had only 5 teams - out of 16 - with winning records.
A conference that saw two of those five winning teams - Boston and Orlando - deal with major injuries to star players (Kevin Garnett and Jameer Nelson, respectively).
And a conference that can’t possibly be THAT bad again next season with Charlotte, Atlanta, Miami and Chicago as rising teams - and Garnett and Nelson expected to return, as well.
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-Posted at 11:15 am.
