NBA Power Rankings: Will any team dethrone the Celtics or Nuggets in NBA Playoffs?

12. Cleveland Cavaliers

Heading into the start of the season, the belief was that the Cleveland Cavaliers would be able to emerge as a real contender in the Eastern Conference. And though that hasn't come to full fruition this season, the Cavs, led by Donovan Mitchell, are going to head into the playoffs with the potential to make a deep run. Whether they can be consistent enough and outlast the rest of the fringe contenders in the East remains to be seen. But at least on paper, the Cavs should have a strong chance to make some noise - something that they failed to do last season in the first round at the hands of the New York Knicks.

For the Cavs, all eyes will be on this team's supporting cast. Does Cleveland have enough talent around Mitchell that they could seemingly emerge as a real player in the East? While the Cavs will have to answer that from a macro perspective this summer, we'll certainly get a clear indication of that with have Cleveland performs in this year's playoffs.

If the Cavs suffer back-to-back first-round playoff losses, it can't be good for those who believe the Cavs have a championship young core.