The Cleveland Cavaliers shouldn’t be too worried about whoever they face in the first round of the playoffs, especially if the Orlando Magic clinch the No. 7 seed.
The Magic could potentially boast a threat, even without Jalen Suggs, because of their hard-nosed defense.
The Atlanta Hawks were a big problem earlier in the season, but with Jalen Johnson out and De’Andre Hunter in Cleveland, they’re not that big a threat anymore, at least on paper.
The Miami Heat have struggled with consistency all year long, and they’re not deep enough to go far in the playoffs.
That, according to Evan Dammarell, only leaves the Chicago Bulls as a potential threat as a first-round foe:
“As the dust settles on the NBA’s regular season, the Cavs find themselves staring into the unknown—waiting, watching, and wondering who they’ll face in the first round of the Eastern Conference Playoffs. But among the potential Play-In contenders, one opponent looms larger than the rest: the Chicago Bulls. Not because they’re the strongest team. Not because they’ve surged to elite status. But because they’ve stubbornly refused to give in,” Dammarell wrote.
It’s hard to believe that the Bulls can take down the Cavaliers, especially after parting ways with Zach LaVine.
Nevertheless, they’re a pesky team, and they have nothing to lose at this point.
Any team that goes against the top-ranked Cavaliers will essentially be playing with house money.
All the pressure will be on the Cavs not only to deliver but also to dominate and take care of business in just four or five games.
This team has been under the microscope all season long, with doubters claiming that they’ll underperform in the playoffs.
That kind of talk can carry some weight in the locker room, and while some players use that as fuel and motivation, others tend to crumble under pressure.
Hopefully, it will be the first scenario.
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