The Cleveland Cavaliers have been in this exact situation before, as the team is about to enter the 2018-19 NBA season following LeBron James leaving the franchise to play somewhere else. The difference is this time, the Cavs are in relatively decent shape as they enter a post-LeBron world, to the point that there are reasons for optimism about what they can accomplish this season.
Are they a contender to win the Eastern Conference for the fifth year in a row? Odds are they’re not, but the Cavaliers are in a position where they can still make the postseason. If you ask head coach Tyronn Lue, though, Cleveland is being slept on, because until someone knocks them off, they’re the best team in the East.
Lue on who’s the favorite in the East: ‘We haven’t lost yet, have we?’
— Joe Vardon (@joevardon) September 24, 2018
It’s a good mindset to have entering the season, I suppose, even if you’d be hard-pressed to find someone who believes the Cavaliers will make the NBA Finals again this season. Lue’s also, of course, not going to say anything that doesn’t try instill belief in his team, which goes beyond his proclamation about where they stand in the conference. For example, in Lue’s eyes, the team will try to spin losses in a positive way.
Ty Lue: "We'll have to teach the whole season. It's not about wins and losses, it's about wins and lessons."
— Greg Swartz (@GregSwartzBR) September 24, 2018
Who knows? Perhaps the Cavaliers will be able to surprise some people this season, riding a core of Kevin Love, Collin Sexton, and a battle-tested roster to some type of run in the postseason. If not, at least they’ll learn a lot.
