LeBron James Is Back and So Are the Cavaliers
If the last six games for the Cleveland Cavaliers is not sufficient evidence that Cavs are back in the Eastern Conference playoff race, then nothing is.
Cleveland has won 6 straight with LeBron James back and healthy and leading the charge. On Sunday night, the Cavaliers defeated the Oklahoma City Thunder 108-98. The Cavs are just 3 ½ games behind the Chicago Bulls in the Central division and have worked their way up to No. 5 in the Eastern Conference standings.
Since James returned from two weeks out of the lineup to rest nagging injuries, the Cavaliers have been on a tear.
On Sunday, James had 34 points against the Thunder including an impressive 8-0 run in the fourth quarter that included two three pointers.
With James in the lineup Cleveland is 24-12, without him they are a dismal 1-8. Yes, the Cavs have Kevin Love, Kyrie Irving and a host of other talented players, but without LeBron, the Cavaliers are just good, but not very good.
James attempted to play through the pain from back and knee injuries earlier in the season. He did not want the team to play without him as they were trying to find chemistry with so many new faces.
However, once he and the coaches felt the chemistry was there, he decided to sit and it could not have been timed any better.
However, with Miami James rarely sat out, missing just 18 games across four seasons.
Since returning, James is averaging 30.3 points, 7 rebounds, 6.2 assists and 2 steals per game. He is shooting over 51% from the floor.
Trades have added to the Cavaliers. Cleveland landed Timofey Mozgov, Iman Shumpert and J.R. Smith, for Dion Waiters and a pick in the first round.
Insiders have said that James is much happier with the players picked up in the trade.
Mozgov interested Cleveland even prior to David Blatt his former Russian national team coach joining the Cavaliers.
He has been considered underutilized in the NBA thus far for someone his size who has a soft touch and nifty feet.
With Mozgov’s big body and Kevin Love down low, James can now play more around the perimeter, which he likes much better to do.
In his past three games, Mozgov has had double-doubles and Love enjoys playing with him already as he can get the Russian the ball down low and the big man has a soft touch.
The season is just halfway complete, but the rest of the East better get ready for the Cavaliers to surge and become one of the teams to beat besides just Atlanta.
