- Donovan Mitchell credits Quin Synder for helping him become the player he is today
- Report: Cavs know ‘exactly’ where they are in standings and have their eyes on No. 3 seed
- J.B. Bickerstaff says Cavs have ‘bigger places to go’ after clinching playoff spot
- Cavs announce starting lineup ahead of Sunday matchup vs. Rockets
- Kendrick Perkins says Donovan Mitchell is better than Devin Booker and Jaylen Brown
- Isaac Okoro issues ecstatic message via social media after hitting game-winning shot vs. Nets
- Rival scout on Donovan Mitchell playing for Cavs in playoffs: ‘We’ll see if he’s that guy or not’
- Report: Jarrett Allen still dealing with blurriness in injured eye
- Nic Claxton offers overly confident statement when asked about potential playoff matchup vs. Cavs
- Spencer Dinwiddie on Nets facing Cavs: ‘We look forward to dunking on Jarrett Allen’
ESPN Picks Cleveland Cavaliers as Most Likely Team to Win Eastern Conference
- Updated: September 1, 2015
The Cleveland Cavaliers notched the Eastern Conference title last season, and it would appear they are primed to do so again this upcoming season.
In ESPN’s annual Summer Forecast, the panel projected the Cavaliers as the most likely team to be Eastern Conference champions. It wasn’t even a contest—the Cavaliers had 158 total points from voting, with the Chicago Bulls finishing as runner-ups with 53 total points.
Running away with the top spot, @cavs lead our Summer Forecast rankings of most likely East champs. #ESPNForecast pic.twitter.com/tFXU8vOHYD
— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) August 31, 2015
ESPN also predicted the Cavaliers to finish with a 59-23 record—a six-game improvement over their 2014-15 record.
The Cavaliers return all of their core players from last season’s NBA Finals run with the exception of Tristan Thompson. The 24-year-old power forward remains a free agent as Cleveland and Thompson continue to negotiate a new contract.
Along with key pieces returning, the Cavaliers have also added Mo Williams, Richard Jefferson and Sasha Kaun. Both Williams and Jefferson are skilled veterans, while Kaun won a national championship as a senior at the University of Kansas in 2008.
Though Cleveland is in a state of stability, it doesn’t mean that things are perfect for the team. Kyrie Irving, widely regarded as the team’s second-best player, might miss the first few months of the season as he recovers from a serious left knee fracture suffered during the NBA Finals.
While things may not be perfect, the Cavaliers still have the best player in the world in LeBron James and enter the season with one of the most stacked rosters in the league.
Barring major injuries, it’s hard to envision Cleveland not being the best team in the East next season.
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