5-on-5: Your Eastern Conference Champs! — Updated

Still buzzing after the Cavs 118-88 Game 4 Win over the Atlanta Hawks that moved the Cavaliers four wins away from the city’s first major professional sports championship in 51 years, Cory, Tom, Nate, Mallory and I had a little chat about your Eastern Conference Champion Cleveland Cavaliers…

1.) At what point in the season did you start to believe that this team could return to the NBA Finals?

Nate: It happened twice. The first time was when the Cavs dismantled Memphis on March 25th to win by 22 points. The Grizz were the second best team in the West at the time, and the Cavs gave them one of their signature third quarter floggings. Kevin Love scored 22 on 13 shots; Irving, 24; LeBron, 20; Moz, 14… After Kelly’s killer armbar, we all had our doubts, but David Wood’s revelations about the Cavs super D lineups (featuring TT, Delly, Bron, and Shump) gave me faith. I was fully aboard the Finals bandwagon again after Game two versus the Bulls. I knew if the Cavs could get a split at home without J.R., they’d be OK. Cleveland jumped all over the Bulls, racing out to a 20 point lead in the first quarter, and LeBron rediscovered his post game. Cleveland turned into a team that’s impossible to beat with a lead in the fourth, and I knew the Bulls were hosed.

Cory: An empire isn’t built in a day, but it starts with a foundation, and Cleveland’s claim on becoming the Rome of the NBA was laid on July 11th. It didn’t matter that the roster didn’t fit. It didn’t matter that Blatt had no NBA experience. The Cavs became the favorite to win the Eastern Conference the moment LeBron’s PR alibi was posted, he ended his hijacking of the sporting world. There were multiple points in the season that reaching the Finals didn’t seem possible, but they always had the best player in the conference. Once the pieces came together in January, I believed in last night.

Veni… Vidi… Vici…

Tom: The 55-point, Kyrie Irving-led victory over the Blazers was the first time I thought the Cavs had the highest ceiling in the East and could return to the Finals. It was the Cavs’ eighth straight victory but winning against a great team without LeBron James made me believe that the Cavs believed they had enough talent to beat anybody.

Robert: Kyrie’s 57-point game against the San Antonio Spurs was huge because he was able to do it with LeBron James on the floor, as well. I remember thinking that if the Cavs were able to go into the playoffs with two players capable of going off for numbers like that, I liked their chances against anyone in the East. I had to reassess after the injury to Kevin Love, though. The Bulls posed a very real danger to this team, as did the Hawks. After seeing the way the Cavs transformed themselves into a physically and mentally tough, defensive-minded unit during the Chicago series — effectively beating the Bulls at their own game — I didn’t see either the Hawks or the Wizards as having passed the test of having to evolve as a team mid-playoff run… and, in evolving, become any even better version of themselves (at least, an even better playoff version). That’s when I knew we were Finals bound and where I upgraded our chances against whoever comes out of the West to “puncher’s chance.”

Mallory: Starting it out tough, eh Robert?  To be entirely honest, I always believed the Cavaliers COULD make it to the finals.  The question was always WOULD they?  The answer was really much more dependent on the rest of the East, rather than the Cavaliers themselves.  Talent-wise, no team in the NBA could match up with the top level trio of the Cavs – LeBron, Kryie, and Kevin are all top tier players.  The real question mark was if any other Eastern Conference team had the talent to compete with the Cavs on a nightly basis.  About half way through the season (lets say, around Feb?) I came to the realization that the firepower didn’t really exist on other teams.  Sure, the Bulls, with a rejuvenated Rose, had the double whammy of supreme scoring and great D.  And the Hawks – man they could move the ball!  But really, and I touched this in my quick hit last night, the best, most consistent way to win in the NBA is to have the best player on the floor any given night.  From the start of the season, we all knew that LeBron (and sometimes Kyrie) would absolutely be that.

2.) Who has been your MVC (Most Valuable Cavalier) on this run to the Finals?

Nate: The Most valuable Cavalier? Are you serious? You should have titled this question: “Gush about LeBron for a paragraph.” Do you have to ask? MVC goes to the greatest player in the world, LeBron James. Gone has been the coasting and the bad body language when things don’t go his way. He’s replaced those flaws with an insatiable competitiveness and, most of all, leadership. He’s done whatever the Cavs needed him to do. Shot not falling? He goes to the post. Turnovers becoming a problem? He’s got that solved. Late game defense on George Teague? Check. The guy has figured out that it’s ok to boringly great (though there’s nothing boring about it). He’s not holding the ball forever. He’s averaging almost a triple double and 30 points a game. He has played hurt, exhausted, with a lead, and from behind. He’s hit game winners and game tying shots. This town is going to name an airport after him.

Cory: I’ve probably always had oppositional defiant disorder, so I’m gonna go with the Cavalier who has grown the most through the playoffs. You could certainly make a case for dirty Delly or Iman Shumpert, but I’m gonna go with Tristan Thompson. We argued in the comment section on this very blog for years over his value. Lamented at length that former GM Chris Grant should have picked Jonas instead of him. In the end, he was the perfect pick for what this team has become. You don’t drop big money on a big if they can’t stretch the defense, defend the rim or have the ability to switch on pick and rolls. Thompson can do two of those, and with his work ethic and will, I wouldn’t bet against that jumper becoming a weapon in the near future.

Tom: Obviously LeBron is the most valuable player, but J.R. Smith and Iman Shumpert have been critical to this post-season run. J.R. may have saved the season with his clutch 4-4 performance in the 4th quarter of game 4 against Chicago. Shumpert’s defense has been powerful and his ability to guard any wing player especially in the pick and roll has been the Cavs antidote to Isaiah Thomas, Derrick Rose, and now Jeff Teague. He hasn’t defended them at all times, but in crucial situations he’s been very effective. Both guys have hit over 37% of their 3-pointers. That might not sound world-beating, but these series have been grindfests, and the Cavs largely won with defense, rebounding, and prolific 3-point shooting. With Kevin Love and Kyrie Irving inactive/gimpy, these two guys have kept the offense intact.

Robert: Outside of LeBron — and I don’t think we can really say that many (if any) of these guys would be playing up to this level without him — I’d have to go with Tristan Thompson. Late in Game 4, the TNT commentators noted how Thompson had been demoralizing the Hawks undersized front line all series with his activity and ability to get his hands on offensive rebound after offensive rebound. What they didn’t mention was that Thompson did this exact same thing in the Eastern Conference Semis against the much bigger front court players of the Chicago Bulls. Right now, it doesn’t seem to matter the size of the guy you throw at Thompson, he’s just going to flat out get around him and get that dang ball. Also, seeing Thompson emerge as a shot-blocker against the Hawks — although, that might have a little something to do with the Hawks smaller bunch of bigs — makes him such a frustrating player to deal with for whoever the Cavs wind up playing.

Someday… some day, people will thank me for TT…

Mallory: As has been aforementioned by my colleagues, this falls into two categories – LeBron, and non-LeBron.  Clearly James is the best player in the world, on this given day (until Steph Curry goes off for like 60 tonight…).  That being said, the MVC is a split decision between David Griffin and David Blatt.  Look, you could easily give this award to J.R., Tristan, Delly, Shump, and even Kyrie.  But NONE of those pieces exist as they are without Griffin, who put together an incredible roster in the face of about a billion disasters over the course of the season.  Griffin did a masterful job using minimal assets to get maximum fit on this team – basically the exact opposite of what Chris Grant did in the past (note: this isn’t to say Grant did a horrible job – just look at TT! – it’s more to say he often went with talent over fit, a dangerous proposition).  On the other side of the coin is David Blatt, who took said pieces, again in the face of constant disaster, and reworked what he had repeatedly, always ending up with a fully realized and functional unit.

3.) Compare this team to the Cavs last Eastern Conference Championship team of 2007.

Nate: There’s no comparison between this team and the Cavs’ of ’07 aside from the presence of Anderson Varejao, LeBron James, and Damon Jones. At guard, do Eric Snow, Damon Jones, and Boobie Gibson get off the pine versus these Cavs guards? MAYBE Boobie plays over Delly (2007 Boobie was a fun ride before injuries robbed him of his quicks). At wing, J.R. Smith and Iman Shumpert >>>>>>> Sasha Pavlovich and heylarryhughespleasestoptakingsomanybadshots.com.

At the big spots, Mozgov, TT, and James Jones vs. Z, Andy, and Donyell Marshall… I gotta call that one a wash. Z was not the finisher or defender Moz is, but he was a knock down shooter, and still had some defensive and rebounding chops in ’07. TT’s numbers this playoffs are remarkably similar to Andy’s that year (and people wonder where Tristan gets it). Check out the per 100 possessions playoffs numbers for Andy in ’07 and TT this year (courtesy of Basketball-reference.com).

TT is the better finisher, and keeps his foul rate down, but Andy’s 2.6 steals per game stand out. They’re both mavens on the boards,with TT just edging out Andy on the offensive side. And if you don’t think 2015 playoff LeBron is better than 2007 playoff LeBron, check out these per 100 numbers.

As we can see, the numbers are close, but despite the apparent decreased athleticism LeBron shoots 5% better on two-pointers, rebounds 3.5 more rebounds, and is adding a whopping extra block. He also doesn’t get the calls like ’07 LeBron. He actually takes on a bigger percentage of the offense, and three-pointers notwithstanding, does it more efficiently. And he’s a rebound machine.

Cory: 2015 LeBron is a different person than 2007 LeBron. Sure, they have the same social security number, but they are different people and players. 2007 LeBron had otherworldly athleticism. He was built like Malone but could move like Pippin. It’s like he was dreamed up by a crazy scientist on an island or a fertility doctor who got bored one day. We only see flashes of that athletic ability from him now. On the good side, this one is committed longterm to the franchise and he’s willing to be patient. The supporting casts couldn’t be more different. The 2007 team was an island of misfit toys who’s individual talents complimented LeBron’s game. This roster is significantly younger, and the players have value on their own merit. The terrifying thing about this Cavs team for the rest of the league is that they aren’t close to full strength and multiple players haven’t hit their prime yet.

Tom: Minus Kyrie and Kevin Love they actually remind me of the 2007 team a bit more than most people would be comfortable. They defend in the half-court, they rebound, and they let LeBron take them home. The difference is this team is more athletic and with Shumpert, Smith, and suddenly Delly, they have three perimeter mates that are two-way players. The ’07 squad had very one-dimensional perimeter players: E Snow (Defense), Damon Jones (spot shooting), Larry Hughes (half-court D), Boobie Gibson (spot shooting). Sasha Pavlovic was really the only member of the Cavs other than LeBron that had a dynamic offensive game. Shumpert has been the Cavs best defender in terms of D-efficiency in the playoffs and he has proven to be a dynamic offensive player. J.R. Smith is a better offensive player than anyone on the 2007 Cavs (other than LBJ) and he’s been very impressive at the defensive end. With Delly hitting 3s and getting more comfortable with his “is it a runner or an alley-oop?” shot, this team has a higher ceiling. This team would have its way with the 2007 team if they played.

Robert: Even when this team is relying on defense to win, they’re doing it differently: able to protect the rim — and play above it — in a way that they never really were built for back in 2007 (LeBron’s superior above the rim ability as a younger player not withstanding). But, for me, the biggest difference has been the leadership of LeBron James. This man’s jumper has been doing him wrong for the entire playoffs and he’s clearly not able to do everything he wants to as he battles whatever bumps and bruises this long season (not to mention his long career) has marked on him. But he has shown an intensity of focus and a belief in the ability of both himself and this team that has infected this entire roster. It speaks volumes that when LeBron has had struggles in these playoffs that his teammates have kept the Cavs in the game — or done even better. There is a confidence to this team that all trickles down from the peak of Mt. Saint James and that confidence gives each member of this Cavaliers team a chance to perform at a championship level. The same could not be said for the 2007 team.

Clear some space fellas…

Mallory: Tom absolutely crushed what I was going to say – namely that the ’07 squad contained a lot of pieces with very, very specific roles.  There is far more versatility on this current squad.  First, for the first time in his Cavalier career, Lebron doesn’t have to act as primary ball handler and offense-initiator – Kyrie Irving is more than capable of fulfilling these roles, as was Love before the injury.  Second, the great outside threat (J.R. Smith) has been playing outstanding D, and likewise, the primary D specialist (Shump) has been more than competent on offense.  TT and Moz are far more multi-faceted defenders than what the 2007 squad threw out there daily, and I’ll take Delly over Eric Snow any day of the week.  Even James Jones, as the spot-up stretch who can also kind of, sort of, if he REALLY has to defend, has a role that was basically unfilled in 2007.  Granted, the NBA has changed a lot in the last 8 years, but the Cavaliers have done a great job evolving with it.  Most importantly, though, is that number 23 has grown a ton since his last Cavalier visit to the finals.  Like it or not, Miami changed Lebron – it made him hungrier, more confident, and smarter – all three of these qualities have turned Lebron into the best leader in the game, something the 2007 Cavaliers desperately needed.

4.) What are your favorite “on the court” and “off the court” moments of this playoffs so far?

Nate: On the court is hard to choose,  but I’m going to go with JR Fuego in the third and fourth quarter of Game 4 versus the Bulls. That hot streak doesn’t happen, and the Cavs aren’t here now. Off the court? David Blatt’s fighter pilot comment.

Cory: My favorite on the court moment was watching the starters go ape poo over the zoo crew late in the fourth. This team is united one through twelve like few I’ve ever seen before. My favorite off the court moment was seeing Nick Gilbert hoist the Eastern Conference Championship trophy. His lottery day bow tie has been traded in for an NBA Finals lanyard in just four short years.

All Hail Nick Gilbert! pic.twitter.com/yA4CsAiMY7

— Kyle Hebel (@Hebel_theRebel) May 27, 2015

Tom: My favorite “on the court” moment of the playoffs was the sequence in Game 1 of the Atlanta series where J.R. Smith caught NBA-Jam fire to the point Kyle Korver tried getting in his shorts way out beyond the 3 point line.  Earl the Third, knowing his own reputation, tried shaking to clear a little space on Korver so he could rise up and bomb away from 30 feet.  Everyone in the building and watching on TV expected the forthcoming heat check.  Cleveland’s beloved pipefitter waiting until Korver had committed to contesting, and blew right by him, leading to an alley-oop for TT.  I went absolutely crazy, because it was the perfect tactical manuever in that situation, and not at all what I expected out of a J.R. Smith engulfed in flames.  LeBron obviously loved it to, as he started screaming and almost dislocated his shoulder fist pumping as he greeted J.R.  The best “off the court moment” was/is Delly becoming a villain.  Everything about it: the memes, the press conferences, the “DELL-EE!” chants raining down from delerious Q-crowd, the TNT crew finally pronouncing Dellavedova correctly, the Hawks announcer actually saying “Tonya Harding checks in” when Delly took to the hardwood, the pathetic tweets from Al Horford’s sister (yeah sister, the replay don’t lie), and most importantly, the rest of CavsNation jumping on the Delly train.  It’s been lonely here for the last 24 months, glad to have some company.

Hawks broadcasters know how to keep it classy…

Robert: My favorite “on the court” moment might have been Jeff Teague’s shove of Matthew Dellavedova just seconds after Delly checked into Game 4. I’d wondered how the Hawks would deal with the frustration of the series — personified by Dellavedova — and that was my answer: not well. My favorite “off the court” moment was Grantland’s profile on Timofey Mozgov. Like I’ve always said, the secret to immortality can be found within B-movie quality local promotional spots. The Brew Garden just keeps giving and giving and giving…

Mallory:  This one is easy – basically anything involving Delly.  I loved waking up every day this week (and weekend) to pundits discussing Dellavedova like he was an all-star.  Never, at least in my short memory bank of NBA players, has what was considered such a minimal role-player (with, I should add, a lack of talent, to so eloquently quote Sir Charles) been discussed with so much vigor.  Though I’ve been tough on the guy in the past, I’ve grown to love Delly on and off the court – my favorite moment, beyond the LeBron game-winning three, was probably Delly’s absurd clinching game against the Bulls – and seeing him cause such a ruckus on TV, the radio, and the internet only reaffirmed this love.

5.) Pick a work of art (movie, book, TV show, video game, painting, song, sock puppet, etc.) that best captures the spirit of the 2015 Cleveland Cavaliers.

Nate: The Score from Top Gun.

Cory: The Wizard of Oz by a fricken mile. Symbolism drips off of that flick like condensation off of a cold beer can on a hot summer day. The ruby slippers on the yellow brick road and the wine and gold. Dorothy’s quest to return home via the Emerald City and LeBron journey home to deliver a title to the Forest City. I’ve been working on about the similarities between the two. I’ll go in more depth there.

Tom: Easy: The Fellowship of the Ring+The Two Towers.  The Cavaliers’ from last season: Kyrie, Delly, TT, Varejao are like the four Hobbits setting out on a journey.  They meet Strider (LeBron) who knows how to protect them but is dealing with his own insecurities and isn’t quite sure how to best lead them on their quest.  Things are going very badly and they are almost killed, but they meet up with Gandalf (David Griffin) and Strider rests his weary soul for two weeks in Rivendell to recharge.  Gandalf enlists the help of some cast-offs, Gimli and Legolas (Moz, Shump, JR), while trying to get Boromir (Kevin Love) to “fit in” with Strider who is then revealed to be Aragorn, the heir to the throne of Gondor, which means Boromir is going to have to make individual sacrifices that may go against his own interests.  They train together and help each other, the Hobbits show real growth and courage, and even as they are hunted they continue to press on amidst the setbacks.  Frodo is injured and Boromir is lost by a cheap shot from the Uruk Captain (Olynyk).  The fellowship becomes fragmented but they stay together in pairs (buddy ball), and their successes continue to mount even as they are underdogs in every encounter.  Their toughness and resolve are forged under intense heat (checks) and pressure.  Frodo (Kyrie) starts to feel the weight of the world and is ready to give up, but Samwise (Delly) convinces him that there is some good in this world (bringing a championship to Cleveland) and it’s worth fighting for.  And that he will carry Frodo if he has to.  The battle for Rohan (The Eastern Conference) is over, the Battle for Middle-Earth, is about to begin.

Robert: For awhile there, Cavaliers were dropping so fast I was worried that my answer to this would have to be Agatha Christie’s Ten Little Indians. Now… well, I kinda hear Metallica’s “Master of Puppets” in my head when this team plays. Not a bad rebound.

Mallory: I’m going to figure out a way to metaphorically connect this team to my favorite album of the year – Courtney Barnett’s “Sometimes I Sit And Think” simply because I love that album as much as I love this team.  On first listen, Barnett’s album sounds a bit chaotic and very, VERY self-conscious – she spends the vast majority of her tracks, often times in self-referential form, telling stories of restless souls going through major growing pains.  Yet, something more confident always stands out – namely, the preciseness with which she plays the guitar.  Repeated listens clarify that instead of lost souls, the album is largely about someone finding themselves. And, I mean, this is the single best album to come out in probably the last two years – an absolute masterpiece. Lets hope that’s what all our invested time will yield with the Cavs.