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2018-19 NBA season: Record predictions for every team

By Christopher Kline

Los Angeles Lakers Photo by Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images
Los Angeles Lakers Photo by Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images /
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Cleveland Cavaliers Kyle Korver
Cleveland Cavaliers (Photo by Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images) /

Cleveland Cavaliers

The Cleveland Cavaliers‘ roster is almost identical to last season, give or take a few key players. Unfortunately, LeBron James is one of those key players. That happens to be a costly loss for a team that presently lacks an identity.

Without James, the newly extended Kevin Love will take over as the offensive bell cow. His post-up scoring and 3-point shooting are valuable weapons — and he’ll put up big numbers — but his presence alone won’t lead the Cavs to many wins.

Last season, the Cavs were among the worst defensive teams in the NBA. A rookie point guard won’t change that. Collin Sexton will provide a spark in the second unit, but the Cavs still lack quality two-way pieces.

Love will spend most of his time at the four, where limited mobility makes him a defensive liability. Tristan Thompson and Larry Nance Jr. aren’t good enough to cover up those issues. When the Cavs go small, Kyle Korver, Rodney Hood and J.R. Smith will see the floor.

Whether it be aging veterans or outright bad defenders, the Cavs’ roster is littered with one-way players who won’t consistently contribute to winning basketball in James’ absence. Love is a strong All-Star candidate, but he’s the only surefire option on an otherwise uninspiring roster.

George Hill is better than he gets credit for, and the vets can still offer quality minutes, but the Cavs are on the brink of a rebuild. Love will keep them somewhat competitive, but their win total will take a sharp turn for the worse.

Final prediction: 36-46, Miss NBA Playoffs