Brian Windhorst asserts Cavaliers without LeBron James can reach playoffs: “The Cavs have been awful whenever they’ve not had LeBron, for 25 years”
LeBron James will forever be associated with the teams that he's played for in the NBA because of his impact. One of those teams is the Cleveland Cavaliers, who have built a decent team that could contend for the title this season.
After a couple of years of rebuilding, the Cavaliers have a chance to become a legitimate contender without James. In previous seasons, the franchise struggled to be a threat in the Eastern Conference without King James. This time, the front office managed to draft decent players and acquire capable players.
ESPN's Brian Windhorst was firm in stating the Cavs being an organically built squad that can reach the postseason without their former first overall pick.
"The Cavs have been awful whenever they've not had LeBron, for 25 years. The last time they made the playoffs without LeBron James was in 1998," Windhorst said. "He's just clearly been on better teams. Even last year, Cavs fans were believing that maybe if LeBron didn't extend with the Lakers, he would come back for a third time in the summer of 2023.
"The Cavs fans have moved on, and the Cavs organization has moved on. Which is why, not only do they have a chance against LeBron this season ... But they also have have a chance to make that playoff, and that is symbolic.
"I know they're third in the East, and as the season goes along, there's gonna be like, 'Oh, the Cavs finished third or finished fifth, can they get to second?' This is a team that hasn't won a playoff series without LeBron since 1993 and hasn't made it to the playoffs without him since 1998. This is a completely foreign territory."
The Cavs (15-9) are currently third in the East. They host the LA Lakers on Tuesday night as they take on the red-hot team led by James.
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Looking back at LeBron James' best moments with the Cavs
As the Lakers stop in Cleveland to complete their six-game road trip, LeBron James' former teammate, Richard Jefferson, took time to reminisce about his time with the Cavaliers. "NBA Today" compiled some of James' best moments with the team that drafted him.
The highlight reel consists of James' early time with the team. It featured his buzzer-beating 3-pointer against the Orlando Magic and Dwight Howard in the 2009 playoffs. It also included a legendary moment of James dunking on Kevin Garnett against the Boston Celtics.
But one moment that caught Jefferson's co-star, Chiney Ogwumike, was when James bullied RJ to get to the rim. Back then, he wasn't LeBron's teammate yet and was a valued player for the New Jersey Nets. It also hurts that the 6-foot-9 forward converted an and-1 play as he was fouled.
Check out the highlight reel here:
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