The Cleveland Cavaliers chose the worst moment in the season to take a step back.
This is where you want to peak.
That’s why Bleacher Report’s experts had no choice but to take them down to the No. 3 spot in their power rankings, with the Boston Celtics leapfrogging them, and the Oklahoma City Thunder still on top.
They argue that even though the Cavs have still been a very dominant team this season, you just can’t overlook the red-hot defending NBA champions and the team with the best record in the league, and it’s hard to argue with any of that.
The Cavs dropped four games in a row for the first time all season, and while they bounced back with three consecutive wins, they all came against non-contending sides.
Then, they lost another game, this time to the playoff-bound Detroit Pistons, and that’s clearly not a good sign.
Granted, chances are that Kenny Atkinson’s team took its foot off the gas in the final stretch of the season, and staying healthy might be their No. 1 priority.
Then again, losing habits tend to snowball, and you never want to enter the playoffs on a low note.
The Cavs looked poised to win close to 70 games this season, and now it seems like they will be lucky to win 65.
Of course, that’s still an elite mark, but they’re still showing some worrisome signs of regression at the worst possible time to do so.
Hopefully, they’re just saving the best for last.
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