I just don't see how the Cavs team will be successful in the near future with Irving and Love. Both are great players but are very flawed and inexperienced. Neither are good defenders or have any playoff experience. A lot of people were quick to say that the Cavs B 3 was better than the Heat Big 3, but I always thought otherwise. Wade and Bosh were elite defenders and had playoff experience before joining up. That type of stuff can't be fixed in a year. Not in a couple years. This Cavs team has to be be together 3 or more years before they can seriously compete.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>That’s a wrap. Dwyane Wade and the <a href="https://twitter.com/MiamiHEAT">@MiamiHEAT</a> send <a href="https://twitter.com/KingJames">@KingJames</a> back to Cleveland. <a href="http://t.co/IlXsMIBsR8">pic.twitter.com/IlXsMIBsR8</a></p>— CBS Sports (@CBSSports) <a href="https://twitter.com/CBSSports/status/548280320856817666">December 26, 2014</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>LEBRON IS SOFT</p>— Marcus Jordan (@mjordanordain) <a href="https://twitter.com/mjordanordain/status/548271152930770945">December 26, 2014</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Cavs aren't going to get to that next level if Lebron isn't willing to want to dominate on defense. Watching Deng shred him to pieces was pathetic.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Kobe thanked MJ, players who came before him. "I’ve learned so much from them. I don’t say that lightly. I’ve literally just stole *****."</p>— K.C. Johnson (@KCJHoop) <a href="https://twitter.com/KCJHoop/status/548273134349344768">December 26, 2014</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Love is a complete misfit in this stagnant offense with two gifted ball passers and yet he is relegated to standing around the 3-point line like some bench player waiting for a bone to be thrown his way. The Cavs are going nowhere playing this LeBron and Irving ISO offense. Love is too talented to be left without a role in the offensive game plan.
The Heat never had a legit center outside of Birdman (and the Cavs have TT). They just need Lebron to up his level of play, esp. defensively. But he's on cruise control. I don't think Lebron has any fear of the Eastern Conference.
Heat had Defensive minded players in Lebron/Wade/Bosh and they still ended needing an extra big man (Birdman) during their run. Lebron needs to be on cruise control, he's Minutes are at Jordan was when he was 36 years old and he's only 30, Even Miami defense began to slip the last 2 years as playing at that level was sustainable each year with all the deep playoff runs
Don't mean to bring this up like it was even a possibility, but LeBron should have considered Houston seriously. In Houston, he could have coasted all he wanted in the regular season and turned it up in the playoffs, where he will be graded from now and till forever. Let Harden control the offense, Howard control the defense and LeBron do whatever he wanted in the regular season. Then when it's playoff time, LeBron can turn into The King. Harden, Howard and a coasting LeBron James is easily a 58+ win team (maybe even 60+), even in the competitive West. I remember bringing this up when Houston was trying to get a meeting with LeBron.
