What if Lebron went down?

[Ogaju]

the real question you should be asking is

Assume LeBron does not go down. You do not plan a season around your opponent suffering injuries.

GO CELTICS, BEAT LEBRON AND THE CAVS.

[tarheelsxxiii]

 Raps lose to GS in 4-5 and the PED market crashes.

[Moranis]

depends when he goes down.  If Cleveland has a month or so of regular season to learn to play without him, they still would have a shot, though Toronto would be the favorites in the East.  The East would definitely be wide open though on the whole.

[moiso]

If Lebron goes down and Kyrie is healthy the Cavs are not a good team.  They win like 35% of their games.

[trickybilly]

I still think Boston would have trouble beating Cleveland in a 7-game series. The Cavs would still own the Celtics in the rebounding department, they'd still have an explosive, hard-to-contain scorer in Irving, and they'd still be able to double IT—a problem the Celtics have yet to resolve. It would be a much closer series without LeBron, but by no means an assured Boston victory.

You have got to be kidding?
A lebronless Cavs is no better than the Bucks or even the Pistons. They are basically normal bumbling team...youve got so much faith in that team without lebron?..believe me they will be swept without Bron.
Heck id even say that even if Bron is there but no Kyrie..they will be vulnerable to the Raptors and to the Cs.

No, not kidding. Which of us is right? Only time will tell.

Check out the Cavs win/loss record when LeBron plays not.

Dude should be the MVP every year till he's 50.

He's is so freakishly coordinated and strong that he is impervious to aggression, clumsy, and chance.

[Moranis]

I still think Boston would have trouble beating Cleveland in a 7-game series. The Cavs would still own the Celtics in the rebounding department, they'd still have an explosive, hard-to-contain scorer in Irving, and they'd still be able to double IT—a problem the Celtics have yet to resolve. It would be a much closer series without LeBron, but by no means an assured Boston victory.

You have got to be kidding?
A lebronless Cavs is no better than the Bucks or even the Pistons. They are basically normal bumbling team...youve got so much faith in that team without lebron?..believe me they will be swept without Bron.
Heck id even say that even if Bron is there but no Kyrie..they will be vulnerable to the Raptors and to the Cs.

No, not kidding. Which of us is right? Only time will tell.

Check out the Cavs win/loss record when LeBron plays not.

Dude should be the MVP every year till he's 50.

He's is so freakishly coordinated and strong that he is impervious to aggression, clumsy, and chance.

A random game here and there is not the same thing as knowing he isn't going to be around.  The team will adjust and be a quality team.  I mean a presumed starting lineup of Irving, Smith, Shumpert, Love, and Thompson with Korver, Jefferson, and Frye is still a pretty solid team, especially if they get a backup PG like Chalmers or Jack.  Obviously that team is not a threat to the Warriors, but it absolutely could still pose problems for the Raptors, Celtics, or anyone else in the East.

[LilRip]

If Lebron goes down, it's C's and Raps in the ECF! For sure! Cavs go from a contender to a fringe playoff team without Lebron.

[Redz]

the only chance this team is a contender is if kyle lowry, dermarr derozen, kevin love, kyrie irving, LeBron james, steph curry, Thompson, Durant, westbrook and harden all get injured. get over it the team is mid-tier.

So you're saying there's a chance!  This would also assume that despite an unprecedented rash of injuries to the league's elite, the Celtics stars would somehow be immune. 

Btw, you forgot Leonard and Aldridge. 

[Surferdad]

the only chance this team is a contender is if kyle lowry, dermarr derozen, kevin love, kyrie irving, LeBron james, steph curry, Thompson, Durant, westbrook and harden all get injured. get over it the team is mid-tier.

So you're saying there's a chance!  This would also assume that despite an unprecedented rash of injuries to the league's elite, the Celtics stars would somehow be immune. 

Btw, you forgot Leonard and Aldridge. 

I would say they have a chance if only LeBron and Durant (or Curry) go down.

[Bobshot]

I still think Boston would have trouble beating Cleveland in a 7-game series. The Cavs would still own the Celtics in the rebounding department, they'd still have an explosive, hard-to-contain scorer in Irving, and they'd still be able to double IT—a problem the Celtics have yet to resolve. It would be a much closer series without LeBron, but by no means an assured Boston victory.

I agree. The Celtics have a rebounding disadvantage with every major team they play. Because of it, they lose to teams like Toronto and the Cavs. I hope Ainge is aware of that, and is not in a state of denial.