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Know Your New Orleans Pelicans Opponents: Cleveland Cavaliers Q&A

ByMatt Cianfrone|

As we head towards the start of the 2015-16 season, New Orleans Pelicans fans are mostly concerned with the way the Pelicans are adjusting to a new system. While that is the most important question for the Pelicans right now, there are also 29 other teams in the NBA with questions and the answers to some will directly impact the Pelicans. With that in mind we decided to go around the league and do Q&A sessions with a blogger for each team in the league. Today we talk to Chris Manning, a writer at Fansided’s Hardwood Paroxysm and also SB Nation’s Cleveland Cavaliers blog Fear the Sword, about LeBron James and his Cavs.

1. The Pelicans played two really close games with the Cavs early on last year. Was it something the Pelicans do that made it that way or just the Cavs still adjusting to things?

Chris: It’s probably a little bit of both. The Pelicans made the playoffs in the Western Conference last year, but the Cavs squad they played wasn’t the one that posted an absurdly high offensive rating over the second half of the season and had been together for just a few months. Anthony Davis, though, bridges the gap between the two teams and he can make any game competitive by himself. I’d have to go back and watch and take notes to check for sure, but I bet it’s a mix of both.

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2. Cleveland actually barely was better defensively than the Pelicans last season but seemed to figure it out in the playoffs. Can that continue and will the Cavs be a top 15 defense this season?

Chris: I’m going to say yes. Per basketball reference, the Cavs were 18th in unadjusted defensive rating and 19th in adjusted defensive rating for the whole season. After the Timoey Mozgov deal, the Cavs were better than this and when you look at the top-15 teams from last year, there are a few teams – the Trail Blazers, the Hornets, etc. – that figure to drop.

This isn’t to say the Cavs are perfect. Without Mozgov, there isn’t really any rim protecting to be found and several key role players aren’t exactly plus defenders. Not having Iman Shumpert healthy hurts too. But the Cavs should be good enough overall to be a top-15 defense.

3. The Cavs and Pelicans are both a bit beat up to start the season. How worried are you about those Cavs injuries?

Chris: Absolutely worried, but not alarmingly so. Kevin Love should be back really soon and Kyrie Irving is going to be back, as will Iman Shumpert. It’s more frustrating than anything, really. The idea was that the Cavs would come into the season at full strength – or really close to it – and then news broke that Shumpert has broken his wrist. As long as Kyrie comes back as expected, there isn’t real reason to be worried.

4. How much longer do you think we look at LeBron James as the best player in basketball and not Anthony Davis?

Chris: Two or three years. LeBron’s 31 and has played a crazy number of minutes. He’s proven to be durable to date, but Father Time is going to catch up to LeBron at some point. When that happens, Anthony Davis is going to be the guy to take the mantle away from LeBron. Heck, it’s not even out of the question that Davis will be the best player in the league by the end of this year.

5. What are the expectations for the Cavs this season? What would you consider a successful season?

Chris: It’s really title or bust for the Cavs. LeBron’s window is open, but it’s not open that long. And with the Cavs being so close last year, anything but a title would feel like a disappointment. And anything less than making the Finals would be a nightmare, assuming everyone is healthy for the seemingly inevitable title run.

Next: Adam McGee Joined us to Talk Milwaukee Bucks Recently

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