Cleveland Cavaliers
When the Cleveland Cavaliers acquired Donovan Mitchell from the Utah Jazz during the offseason, the expectation was that this team was going to take a step forward in their progression. However, I don’t think many expected them to be this good this fast.
They’re heading into the NBA Playoffs as the 4th seed in the East but this is absolutely a team that could end up winning the conference. It may take a fortuitous roll here and there but the Cavs have the top-level talent to make a deep run.
There are plenty of reasons why I like the Cavs as a dark horse contender in the Eastern Conference. I’d like this team even more if they didn’t have to play the Milwaukee Bucks in round 2. Nevertheless, if there’s a team that could make a surprisingly deep playoff run in the East, it’s going to be the Cavs.
At least in my opinion, the Cavs are the best team and the greatest threat that as a dark horse contender no one seems to be talking about right now.
Verdict: Contender