Watching the Cavaliers and Nets miss wide open look after wide open look the past couple weeks reinforces my belief that the NBA, for the most part, has the best athletes in the world who unfortunately can't shoot straight.
Regardless, congratulations to the Cavaliers for advancing to the conference finals.
Now we will find out if the Cavaliers are any better than a year ago when Detroit took them out in seven. I have said all along this is where the season ends - either in six or seven games.
Why? The answer is simple.
Did anyone notice who was not on the floor in the fourth quarter against the Nets in game #6? The team's starting center (Z), starting power forward (Gooden) and starting point guard (Hughes), all high priced talents, were sitting on the bench in crunch time.
That's the problem. With the exception of James, the Cavaliers cannot depend on anyone else to be there EVERY night in crunh time. It's James and 11 platoon players/role players on many nights.
Coach Brown has to juggle line-ups in the final frame based on who is hot and who is not. Detroit doesn't have that problem, nor does San Antonio. And both of those teams play better defense than the Cavaliers.
To advance past the Pistons, who are beatable, the Cavaliers will need a big series from two other starters besides James.
If the Cavaliers fall short, look for management to spend the off-season in search of another player with broad shoulders the team can consistently lean on besides James.
We suggested Kevin Garnett a year ago.
Better late than never.
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