The 26-9 Cleveland Cavaliers currently lead the Eastern Conference in winning percentage, and it would be surprising if they let a team like the Chicago Bulls or Atlanta Hawks catch them by year’s end. Grading the Cavaliers’ season is a little bit tricky since they were dealing with so many injuries early, but there is still a lot of information to go on.
Of course, you have to start with LeBron James when you are talking about the Cavs. He has been brilliant this season even if his shot hasn’t been on form yet, but that is what makes him such a special superstar. Before Sunday night’s win, James was averaging 25.5 points, 7.4 rebounds and 5.9 assists per game with a 26.63 PER. He doesn’t need to be the most efficient shooter out there on any given night to dominate a game, and LeBron is rebounding and assisting among the best at his position this season.
The case of Kyrie Irving is a little bit different. He has only played in nine games so far, but he has also shown flashes of brilliance that make you think about what could’ve happened if the PG had been healthy during the 2015 NBA Finals. Irving has recorded games of 32, 25 and 22 points since his return, and he is still trying to find his groove.
Kevin Love, on the other hand, has plenty of games under his belt, and the results have been disappointing. He is only recording 16.3 points, 10.6 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game as of Sunday morning, and his 3-pointer (36.5 percent) isn’t falling at an ideal rate. It is unclear if he will make the All-Star Game, but it would be fascinating to watch Love in the playoffs against the Golden State Warriors, especially considering that they are currently playing Draymond Green at center. Here is hoping for a rematch of last year’s Finals when June arrives for Cleveland.
As far as their team grade, the only reason the Cavaliers didn’t get an A+ is because of James’ shooting, and if he can clear that up by the postseason, then this will be a team no one else wants to face in a long playoff series.
Final First Half Grade: A
