The Cleveland Cavaliers held their own vs. the Oklahoma City Thunder in their first matchup.
It was perhaps the best game of the season, with both teams going back and forth.
They both played elite defense at times, but they also showcased their insane shot-making ability during stretches.
That wasn’t the case in the rematch.
Mark Daigneault’s team made a big statement at home, and the game was never close.
That’s why, after watching both games, NBA analyst Zach Harper has some legitimate concerns about the Cavaliers’ chances in a hypothetical NBA Finals series.
Per Harper, the Cavs could struggle mightily once Chet Holmgren gets back on the court, as they could have a Twin Towers-like approach against the Cavs’ frontcourt, and that would essentially leave Shai Gilgeous-Alexander unguarded:
“At the same time, SGA is so crafty that even defensive aces like Mobley can only contain so much before the dam breaks and the points start flowing out. The Cavs can quite easily use Mobley as SGA’s primary defender or as the first help defender when the Thunder only have one big man. But what happens when Holmgren is back and the Thunder can counter Cleveland’s two-big approach with Holmgren and Isaiah Hartenstein?” Harper said.
That’s a valid concern.
Also, Lu Dort has absolutely shut down Donovan Mitchell more often than not, and the Thunder could also use Alex Caruso to neutralize Darius Garland.
Of course, there’s still a lot of basketball ahead of us, and both teams would have to meet in the NBA Finals first.
Then again, we’re talking about the No. 1 seed in both conferences, and there’s no reason to believe that’s not a realistic possibility.
The Cavs will have to cross that bridge once they get there.
But with the trade deadline just a couple of weeks away, they would be wise to address their few needs and make moves thinking about their potential postseason foes, including the best team in the West.
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