The Cleveland Cavaliers have been highly scrutinized recently for their play and the drama that has surrounded a lot of their players. Despite the drama and a lull in their play recently, the Cavaliers are still 53-22 and 2.5 games ahead of the Toronto Raptors for first place in the Eastern Conference.
Many people still feel like the Cavs will represent the East in the NBA Finals, but you won't find many picking them to win in the finals. Don't tell that to point guard Kyrie Irving, though, as he still feels that the Cavaliers are the team to beat come playoff time.
Of course, the Cavaliers have the talent to win the whole thing with three true stars in Irving, LeBron James and Kevin Love, but since they got together, the team just hasn't quite meshed like they had hoped. This Cavaliers team is still very good and of course would have a chance to win the title if they make it there like many expect them to, but they would likely be massive underdogs against whichever Western Conference foe that they face.
Irving said that he can't believe the Cavs are still in first place after everything they have been through recently and added that they are the team to beat. He was then asked to clarify that last statement to see if he meant that Cleveland was the team to beat in the East or against the whole league, and he didn't back down.
"I feel like we're the team to beat," Irving said. "I mean, honestly, it's open season until we get into the playoffs, so I have a lot more confidence than I think anyone realizes in our team and what's going on in our locker room."
It is obviously great for the Cavaliers that Irving is confident in his team and feels they will win it all, but for people on the outside, the Cavaliers are not the team to beat. The Golden State Warriors and San Antonio Spurs are having historic seasons in the Western Conference, and it is fair to wonder whether the Cavs would be favored over the Oklahoma City Thunder if they represented the West.
After last year's finals, which Irving only played one game of, the star point guard said that if the Cavaliers were healthy, they would have won (Kevin Love missed the whole series). That statement from Irving was probably not true, but it shows that he has had tremendous confidence in this team from the get-go.
Irving's play will be a key factor to the Cavaliers backing up his talk as the team to beat. Unfortunately for Irving and the Cavs, he has been in the news recently more for his personal life and situation with Kehlani rather than his play on the court. Irving has taken a step back this season in terms of production, but some of that can be attributed to the late start he got after recovering from a broken kneecap in the offseason. Through 48 games, the 24-year-old point guard is averaging 19.5 points (lowest since rookie season) and 4.5 assists (career low) per game while shooting 31 percent from three (also a career low).
