Beyond the Arc’s trip around the league continues with the Central Division:
- Ego Trippin’: Shaq looks to take credit for another young turk’s title.
1. Cleveland Cavaliers
Conference Rank: 3rd
Forum Date: Tuesday, December 8th
Notes: By adding Shaquille O’Neal to Lebron James, the Cavs now boast two of the five most famous active basketball players on the planet and arguably the two grandest personalities in the game. This will make for high ratings and good copy, but will it actually make the Cavs a better basketball team? Shaq had a bounce-back season for the Suns last year, but at age 37 and with ever-present conditioning challenges, the wise money would be on his falling back into the natural decline that was evident before last season. For the Cavs, the questions are two-fold: Can Shaq hold up well enough to be a positive contributor come playoff time, particularly in giving them a bigger, stronger body to put on Dwight Howard in a potential rematch with the Magic? And can Shaq be deferential enough not to disrupt the team’s strong on- and off-court chemistry? If those questions are answered in the affirmative, then the Cavs will be a title contender as long as Lebron James — a.k.a., the best basketball player in the world — is healthy.
Pivotal Player: Shaq will garner the headlines, but a relatively obscure off-season addition could be equally crucial. Last season, the Cavs struggled with pick-and-roll defense, which Shaq won’t help, and against taller perimeter scoring threats (most notably Hedo Turkoglu in the playoffs). Free-agent signee Anthony Parker, a 6’6″ swingman who played with Toronto last season, will give the Cavs another wing player with size to flank Lebron. And as a career 40% three-point shooter, Parker could be a big asset on both ends. Given incumbent two-guard Delonte West’s offseason troubles, Parker could be asked to start and play big minutes for the Cavs this season.
Memphis/Griz Connection: Maybe the real obstacle to the Cavs’ title quest last season wasn’t Dwight Howard or Hedo Turkoglu, but the presence of not one, but two players the Grizzlies let walk: Lorenzen Wright and Tarence Kinsey. The Cavs will this year embark on a their quest with a roster free of former Grizzlies.
