You just saw the 2009 NBA Champions

[EJPLAYA]

The Cleveland Cavs are playing the physical style of play that we beat everyone with last year and seemed to have lost somehow along the way. Add the fact that they have the single most difficult player to stop in Lebron and the pickup of Mo Williams and they have the offense to go along with it. Lebron is like a PP on steroids... PP isn't even in his league anymore.

I think we will unfortunately look back in a couple years and be glad we put the banner up when we did. If we don't make a drastic change in either our teams components or our heart we are done. We can't beat Cleveland in 7. That's not over reaction or sour grapes, that is fact.

[celticinorlando]

have to agree...long way to go but i cant see anyone denying lebron right now

[screwedupmaniac]

we can always keep our fingers crossed that lebron tweaks an ankle in april or something...nothing permanently damaging, just enough for us to get by and beat up on the then-tired lakers...

[Andy Jick]

ferry will pull the trigger on a deal and move the fossilized wally and that fat expiring contract...

...and once he does that i will most definitely agree with the OP.

[Hoyo de Monterrey]

Have to agree...

I don't even think they need any more moves. When Z gets back, they're ready. They are more physical then they were last year, and are playing excellent team defense. The Cs didn't exactly test it tonight, but still...

Also, anyone who doesn't recognize LeBron as the best player on the planet right now is not objective enough to make such a statement. The man is an absolute force. When he develops the jump shot, we are looking at a potentially unstoppable player until he gets older and less agile. Oh, by the way, he's only twenty effin' four. Get used to the new LBA.

[celticinorlando]

if it is james v kobe in the finals...pencil me in the cavs corner....

[Rondo_is_better]

I think its a little premature to declare the Cavs the champs. Its a tired excuse, but it IS January.

That being said, I think IF the Cavs get to the Finals, they will win.

Things can happen to any team. Maybe LeBron goes down, or Orlando, or even the CELTICS (crazy as it sounds considering how bad we are right now) manage to play an inspired series and beat them.

[RebusRankin]

Don't they have to play the games first? I can see this being titled, you just saw the front runners or the favourites but Champs, not yet.

[EJPLAYA]

I think its a little premature to declare the Cavs the champs. Its a tired excuse, but it IS January.

That being said, I think IF the Cavs get to the Finals, they will win.

Things can happen to any team. Maybe LeBron goes down, or Orlando, or even the CELTICS (crazy as it sounds considering how bad we are right now) manage to play an inspired series and beat them.

You just proved my point. Your rationale behind this being possibly not true was that "maybe Lebron goes down"... Of course if Lebron wasn't playing they wouldn't be the champs, but what you're subconsciously thinking is that this would be the only way we beat them. They are simply a better team. I wish it weren't the case, but it is what it is.

[Tr1boy]

Well it will be between the lakers and cavs at this rate and that would be a crazy series.

The big three right now look content enough with winning just one last year

[Rondo_is_better]

I think its a little premature to declare the Cavs the champs. Its a tired excuse, but it IS January.

That being said, I think IF the Cavs get to the Finals, they will win.

Things can happen to any team. Maybe LeBron goes down, or Orlando, or even the CELTICS (crazy as it sounds considering how bad we are right now) manage to play an inspired series and beat them.

You just proved my point. Your rationale behind this being possibly not true was that "maybe Lebron goes down"... Of course if Lebron wasn't playing they wouldn't be the champs, but what you're subconsciously thinking is that this would be the only way we beat them. They are simply a better team. I wish it weren't the case, but it is what it is.

That is not what I am subconsciously thinking. I think we will get back to ALMOST the same level of play we started the season at after the All-Star break. Then, in the playoffs, if we maintain that level of play I think we have a 35-40% chance of winning a series with the Cavs.

And just to be clear...I think the Cavs are the better team. I'm not disputing that.

[Yugocelt]

What I don't understand right now, is how did we go on the winning streak in the first place?  I can't imagine how we won those games.  Its like its two completely different teams.  Its not just a slump anymore, its a crisis, and we need someone to step up and direct some [dang] traffic since Doc is obviously content brushing all of this off. 

[LarBrd33]

we'll see what happens.

Maybe Marbury will save us.  Lol

Meh... what's a sequel without some drama.  Strap in folks... we got a long way to go.

[EJPLAYA]

I think its a little premature to declare the Cavs the champs. Its a tired excuse, but it IS January.

That being said, I think IF the Cavs get to the Finals, they will win.

Things can happen to any team. Maybe LeBron goes down, or Orlando, or even the CELTICS (crazy as it sounds considering how bad we are right now) manage to play an inspired series and beat them.

You just proved my point. Your rationale behind this being possibly not true was that "maybe Lebron goes down"... Of course if Lebron wasn't playing they wouldn't be the champs, but what you're subconsciously thinking is that this would be the only way we beat them. They are simply a better team. I wish it weren't the case, but it is what it is.

That is not what I am subconsciously thinking. I think we will get back to ALMOST the same level of play we started the season at after the All-Star break. Then, in the playoffs, if we maintain that level of play I think we have a 35-40% chance of winning a series with the Cavs.

And just to be clear...I think the Cavs are the better team. I'm not disputing that.

YOU were the one that said that. You didn't offer any other methods of us beating them. It's okay to accept the fact that this team can not beat that team in a 7 game series. We are no longer feared by the other guys. We are no longer the bullies. We are now the bullied.

We haven't been the same team as last years Champs all year long. Even in that 19 game win streak we weren't playing close to the same level as last year. We need some changes and I hope Danny sees that. If we wait until next year the window will truly have closed.

[Change]

The Cavs were scary good last year & this year they are unstoppable. The reason why we beat them last year was their lack of offense. The year that problem is pretty much solved AVG 103.3 & their defense has gotten better.

Oh i almost forgot Lebron is a year older.