Cleveland Cavaliers 2010 Preview & Predictions

Cleveland Cavaliers 2010 Season Preview, Predictions Picks & Odds

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Cleveland Cavaliers 2009-2010 NBA Record: 61-21, 1st in Central Division

Cleveland Cavaliers Betting Trends & Betting Angles:
• 10-3 ATS past 13 trips to Detroit
• UNDER is 11-4 past 15 games at Detroit
• UNDER is 17-3 past 20 at home to Pistons
• 13-1 SU past 14 at home to Milwaukee
• 6-1 SU & ATS past 7 trips to Indiana
• OVER is 7-3 past 10 trips to Chicago
• 8-0 SU, 2-6 ATS past 8 as fave of 8+ pts

Cleveland Cavaliers 2010 Preview & Prediction

As much as LeBron James has been bashed for the manner in which he announced his decision to leave Cleveland for Miami, Cavs fans – once they get over the shock of being dumped on live TV – are going to come to realize that James’ bigger sin, at least where they are concerned, is that he failed to leave things in better shape than he found them. The Cavs won the right to select James in 2003 on the heels of a 17-win season by a team filled with a motley collection of role players and would-be studs. And now, as James rides off to South Beach, he leaves in his wake a marginally less motley collection of role players and would-be studs. Is that LeBron’s fault? Well, kinda. James wasn’t pulling the strings in the front office, but all of the string-pulling was done with one goal in mind – to appease the King. For most of his 5-year tenure as general manager, Danny Ferry was engaged in a quest to find complementary pieces – not always the best player on the market, but the one who could playoff of James. For instance, after the Magic bounced the Cavs in the conference finals two years ago, Ferry went out and got Anthony Parker, a lanky defensive specialist, with an eye toward shutting down Orlando’s shooters in an expected rematch that never came about. With James in the fold, the Cavs could afford to start a defensive specialist. Now, the team has an incumbent shooting guard who can’t shoot. Ferry, who resigned a month before James’ televised exercise in narcissism, might have been guilty of over-tinkering (18 players got on the floor last year, and 23 played three years ago) and the occasional panic move (a deadline deal for Jiri Welsch in 2005), but James didn’t exactly make things easy.

For all of his talent and his willingness to pass the ball, he never got his sidekicks involved to the degree necessary to win. Cleveland made the NBA Finals once in James’ 7 seasons, on the strength of a superhuman performance in the 2007 conference finals. For too long, as James went, so went the Cavs and that was never more obvious than in the playoffs last year, when the King often looked disinterested as the Celtics humiliated Cleveland in the second round. When Michael Jordan abruptly retired in 1993, the Bulls went from 57 wins with Jordan to 55 without him, because they had in place asupporting crew that clicked alongside M.J. The Cavs have never had a supporting crew that was capable of clicking with James, let alone without him. And the Bulls had Scottie Pippen to step into the big-dog role. Cleveland’s big-dog-in waiting? That would be Antawn Jamison. The last time he was a team’s go-to guy was in 2008, when Gilbert Arenas went down two games into the Wizards’ season. Cavs fans can ask Washingtonians how that one turned out.

Cleveland Cavaliers Coach: Byron Scott (1st season)

Cleveland Cavaliers Projected Starters: PG Mo Williams, SG Anthony Parker, SF Jamario Moon, PF Antawn Jamison, C Anderson Varejao.

Cleveland Cavaliers Key Additions: None.

Cleveland Cavaliers Key Losses: F LeBron James, C Shaquille O’Neal, C Zydrunas Ilgauskas, G Delonte West, G Sebastian Telfair.

2010 Cleveland Cavaliers Point Guards:

The shooting guard position is an area of need on the Cavs. They might have the worst collection of two guards in the league. Veteran Anthony Parker turned 35 over the summer, which is ancient for an NBA guard. He was one of the league leaders in three-point shooting last year at 41.4 percent. It’s time for the Cavs to find a replacement, which could be why Sessions was brought aboard. Danny Green, entering his second year from North Carolina, struggled in summer league, which is never a good sign. He’s strong fundamentally, but doesn’t do anything exceptionally well. Rookie Christian Eyenga could be the eventual starter, perhaps at this time next year. The 2009 first-round pick played in Spain last season, is extremely athletic and will be a force on the defensive end. However, offensively, he is light years away. He also has to improve his basketball IQ. He’s expected to spend much of the season playing in the D-League.

2010 Cleveland Cavaliers Off Guards:

Delonte West is the most underrated player on Cleveland’s roster. In fact, even the coaching staff underrated him at first. Coach Brown candidly admitted that when the Cavs acquired West he did not realize just how versatile and skilled West is. Brown said West is so talented that the Cavs actually run certain isolation and post-up plays for him that were originally designed primarily for LeBron James. West is not great in any one skill set area, but he also has no skill set weaknesses. He is very tough and is an excellent defensive player. Anthony Parker was a three-year starter for Toronto. Last season, he posted career highs in assists and steals. The Cavs can now start West and bring Parker off of the bench, start Parker and use West as a backup point guard/shooting guard and/or utilize a ‘small’ lineup featuring James at power forward playing alongside Williams, West, Parker and one big.

2010 Cleveland Cavaliers Small Forwards:

When James was taken out of the equation, there was an immediate drop off in talent. The Cavs signed Joey Graham in free agency and he could move into the starting job. But it’s anything but a lock heading into training camp. He was a former first-round pick of Toronto, but he has yet to live up to that billing. He does have some skills and is good defensively. Jamario Moon remains on the roster and might be given a chance to run up and down the floor in Scott’s Princeton offense. He was a former starter in Toronto, often times playing ahead of Graham. Moon is very athletic and has uncanny jumping ability. He’s a dunker on the fastbreak and is also a good defensive player. Another option could be veteran Antawn Jamison, even though he’s a power forward by trade. J.J. Hickson will likely get the bulk of the minutes at power forward. So, Jamison will either play small forward – where he’d likely struggle defensively – or come off the bench.

2010 Cleveland Cavaliers Power Forwards:

The Cavs are hoping for a breakout year from J.J. Hickson this season. He dominated play at the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas against some so-so big men. This position might be the strength of the team. Jamison, 34, has two years remaining on his contract and is a candidate to be traded possibly near the February deadline. He averaged 15.8 points and 7.7 rebounds in 25 games with the Cavs after being acquired from Washington. Veteran Leon Powe is also expected to contribute this season. He managed to play in just 20 games last year, as he went through rehabilitation on his knees during the first half of the season. Anderson Varejao has played much of his career at power forward, but because of necessity, he’s expected to start at center.

2010 Cleveland Cavaliers Centers:

Varejao isn’t a stranger to the center spot, but at 6-11, he’s a bit undersized. His game consists of constant motion and hustle. He seldom backs down from anyone or any challenge on the court. He also has a way of getting under the skin of many opposing players. He didn’t flop much last season, but improved on the defensive end. He was a second-team All-Defensive performer last year. He’ll likely be backed up by Ryan Hollins, an athletic 7-footer who is best suited running the floor, but the 240-pounder might have trouble holding his spot on the floor against some of the behemoths playing the center position. He does run well and can finish on the break.

Cleveland Cavaliers 2010 Season Predictions

We predict that the Cleveland Cavaliers will finish 4th in the NBA Central Division .

Cleveland Cavaliers Betting

Cleveland Cavaliers NBA Championship Odds: +20000
Cleveland Cavaliers Eastern Conference Odds: +10000

Cleveland Cavaliers 2009-2010 Betting Stats

Cleveland Cavaliers Straight Up: 61-21
Cleveland Cavaliers ATS: 37-43-2
Cleveland Cavaliers Home ATS: 16-25
Cleveland Cavaliers Away ATS: 21-18-2
Cleveland Cavaliers Record As Favorite: 57-15
Cleveland Cavaliers Record As Dog: 4-6
Cleveland Cavaliers Over/Under: 39-41-2

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