Think about this: the Cavs might have lost in the first round if they were in the West.
Doubt it. Look up their record against West playoff teams
Regular season.
If they had faced, say, the Blazers or Grizz in the first round, I think it's very possible they would've lost.
The East is an utter joke. This Cavs team is not very good.
In the Finals, Dray covers Bron, who covers Curry? Should be a bloodbath.
They can take the Blazers. Definitely would have beaten a Conley or Tony Allen-less Grizz team too. Swept the Grizz in the season btw.
If Lebron can beat OKC in 2012 with Durant averaging 31 PPG and Westbrook averaging 27 PPG with Ibaka and Harden while his man Bosh averaged less than 15, AND BEAT the Spurs in 2013 with gimpy Wade not even cracking 20 PPG and Bosh scoring ZERO POINTS in Game 7, he can get out of the first round come on now.
If the Clippers can do it (got out of the first round 3 times the past 5 years), you're saying Lebron can't? You're underestimating him imo.
I agree they probably can't beat the Warriors unless he dominates and his teammates don't miss from three, but lose in the FIRST ROUND? Don't think so unless it's vs the Spurs or Warriors. And even those series wouldn't be sure losses. Oh and the last time Dray guarded Lebron, he dropped 40 and beat the Warriors.
The Hawks beat the Cavs 3-1 in the regular season and you know how that is turning out for them now.
Sure. Because LeBron's playing now. He wasn't in one or two of those Hawks wins. So yeah definitely.
The Cavs dont have love now and Kyrie is gimpy, so what's your point?
The Hawks beat the Cavs at almost full strength, albeit just one game, but now the Hawks cant beat the Cavs with their 2nd and 3rd best players injured or playing injured. The Celtics defeated the Heat 3-1 in 2012 reg season, yet the Celts lost against the Heat 4-3 in the ECF. Regular Season is different than the playoffs, period.
See how terribly biased your logic was? You used their regular season games against Golden State and Memphis while I can't make the same for the Hawks? What a joke
Simple..because Golden State and Memphis played the Cavs with Lebron, the Hawks didn't. That's why they were 3-1 up.
http://espn.go.com/nba/boxscore?gameId=400579207
the Hawks were 1-0 against the Cavs after acquiring Mozgov etc. Lebron played in 3 of the 4 games against the Hawks in the regular season. Simple? Yeah right You just can't admit that your basing your argument based on what happened between them in the regular season, while I've shown that it doesn't mean squat. So the Cavs beat the Warriors and Memphis in the regular season. So what? The Hawks beat the Cavs with both Kyrie and love and look where its got them. I still don't see you having an answer for that.
The regular season DOES mean squat! The playoffs are different yes, but the season means squat. It's not an either or proposition that you seem to be espousing. It's not yes or no. But it does mean something because it shows you how teams are building their system and what pieces fit well together. Are you saying that EVERYTHING teams do change in the playoffs? No. They're using the same schemes and rotations that got them success in the REGULAR SEASON. So yes it means something. I never said it meant everything, but it does mean something.
So yes, sweeping Memphis means something, it doesn't mean everything like you seem to think what my point was, but it does mean something. And yes the Hawks going 2-1 with Lebron in the line-up means something too. It just doesn't mean as much because the Cavs only played one game with the former Knicks players (Smith, Shump, Mozgov). That's the team that is beating the Hawks now. Not the Waiters Love no D Cavs in December. They lost but that was one game. There's your answer if you want one. Anyway the original post was me responding to someone saying the Cavs probably lose in the first round in the West. And I said no. When they hit their stride mid-January with its complete team, they went 6-1 against West playoff teams. And I think that does mean something. You say no, I say yes. Let's put it at that.
I don't post to find an answer to your questions, I post to express my opinions. And this is the opinion from the start: the regular season means something (not everything, not NOTHING like you seem to think, but it does mean something). If you still don't agree, let's juts agree to disagree. Let's enjoy the Finals.