Cleveland Cavaliers: Playoffs Must Be Goal for 2013-14

It’s time to play defense, Kyrie Irving.

Photo Credit: Erik Daniel Drost (Flickr.com)

Despite possessing some of the brightest young talents in the NBA — most notably Kyrie Irving — it has been a miserable few seasons since LeBron James upped and left for South Beach; the Cavs have finished in the lottery in all three post-LeBron seasons. In this year’s draft lottery, Cleveland struck gold again, landing the No.1 pick in the NBA draft for the second time in three years. 

The Cavs recorded 24 wins in 2012-13. Twenty-four. And this is a team that needs to make the playoffs next year. The leap is surely too large from 24 wins to playoff berth?

I say no, and so should owner Dan Gilbert.

In the weaker Eastern Conference, a record that hovers at or around .500 is usually good enough to make the playoffs. The Milwaukee Bucks, for example, only recorded 37 wins this season — which was enough for the eighth seed. The eighth seed would be a great starting point for a Cleveland team that has been at the basement of the league for three years.

Tristan Thompson continues to develop and improve.

(Photo by Erik Drost/Flickr.com)

Kyrie Irving and the Cavs likely need to gain around 15 to 20 wins to make it into next year’s postseason. If Irving can stay injury free; Anderson Varejao can come back and stay without health issues; Dion Waiters and Tristan Thompson continue to develop — as well as that No. 1 draft pick — there is no reason why we shouldn’t see a return to the playoffs for Cleveland.

This is without forgetting any free agents that Dan Gilbert tries to pursue. Andre Iguodala would provide perimeter defense to a team that currently has none — synergy statistics rated Kyrie Irving as one of the worst defenders in the entire NBA and Dion Waiters isn’t much better. 

All in all, the Cavs are in place for a playoff run next season. They have a top-10 point guard, a No. 1 draft pick and plenty of cap room to spruce up the roster. Especially in the weaker Eastern Conference. How interesting would a Cleveland vs. Miami series next season in the playoffs? I say very. It’s time for the Cavs to deliver; they shouldn’t be in the lottery this time next year.