Milwaukee Bucks: Getting To Know Potential Playoff Opponents
By Rohan Katti
Cleveland Cavaliers: Regular Season Series 3-1 Cavaliers
Another season, another LeBron James team leading the Eastern Conference. After winning the title last year, the Cleveland Cavaliers must feel like they are well on their way to another Finals appearance. As if their team wasn’t good enough last year, they have improved it with the additions of Kyle Korver, Derrick Williams, Deron Williams, and former Buck Larry Sanders.
However, the Cavs have had their struggles this season, and they are only becoming more apparent as the season comes to an end. This might a LeBron James team has played defensively since his early Cavalier days. It may not be as easy as flipping a switch when the playoffs come around either, as the only good defenders on the team are James, Smith, Thompson, and Shumpert. This may cause Cleveland real trouble in the playoffs, and Milwaukee can exploit that.
The Milwaukee Bucks have played the Cleveland Cavaliers so competeitively this season that it has even provoked questions about their heart from the Cavs players themselves.
Giannis up against LeBron might be one of the best matchups this league has to offer, and a seven-game series would be very entertaining.
While it seems very improbable that the Bucks could beat the Cavaliers, there is a chance (insert Jim Carrey GIF here). The way the Bucks could do this is by getting Tristan Thompson in foul trouble early. The Cavs have struggled with their big man depth this season, so getting one of their most reliable contributors out of the way at that spot opens the door for the Bucks to play to their strengths and get to the rim.
Lineups where Channing Frye and Kevin Love play the five would allow Giannis and Greg Monroe to work in the high and low post. It’s too early to get a read on how Larry Sanders will play after being away from the league, but it feels safe to say he will not yet be as good on defense as he was at the peak of his powers in Milwaukee.
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In the games between the two teams this season, LeBron always managed to pull the game out, which should be expected at this point. If nothing else, the Bucks have shown enough to make us believe they could least give the defending champions a scare, though.