The Cleveland Cavaliers swept the Boston Celtics in a chippy first round series, giving many key players on the Cavs their first taste of playoff basketball. Here's what the sweep taught us about the Cavaliers going forward this postseason:
3) They are who we thought they were
During the regular season, Cleveland was a premier offensive team that plays extremely well at home, but were inconsistent on the defensive end. All of those things held true against the Celtics as the Cavs averaged 104 points per game while looking dominant on their home floor, but Boston was able to stay competitive because of periods where Cleveland looked disinterested on defense. With Kevin Love now out for the next round - and maybe for the remainder of the postseason - the Cavs can't afford to have those defensive lapses.
2) LeBron James has plenty left in the tank
For someone who has played in four straight NBA Finals, LeBron James is looking really fresh. Much has been made of the two week sabbatical he took during the regular season, and it seems to be paying dividends for him late in the season. He's averaging two more points and three more rebounds per game in the postseason than he did during the regular season, and Cleveland needs to continue to see that kind of production for LeBron if they're going to meet their lofty expectations.
1) Kyrie Irving is ready for his close up
Irving has not shied away from the spotlight in his first postseason action, averaging 23.3 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 4.3 assists in the first round. He has played well in big moments and has come through when the Cavs have needed it, showing why he's one of the bright young starts in the league. He'll face another test as Cleveland needs him to step up even more in the Eastern Conference Semifinals with Love not being available, but he looks ready for the challenge.
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