ESPN’s Bradford Doolittle has picked the Cleveland Cavaliers as one of the biggest risers in the league for the coming season. Doolittle’s picks were based on the team’s calculated improvement in scoring margin based on their offseason moves. Cleveland’s margin is set to increase by 5.7 points for 2013-14, according to Doolittle, and this should help them win far more than the 24 games they won last season.
Doolittle explained his reasoning:
“Although Cleveland might not have the same realistic shot at a title as some other upgraded teams, such as Houston, Brooklyn and Chicago, the Cavaliers are nevertheless in a strong position to become this season’s most-improved team. In 2012-13, Cleveland finished 22nd in offensive efficiency and 27th on the defensive end. I have the Cavaliers climbing five spots on the offensive end and a whopping 18 spots on defense. Part of that is Varejao’s return; part of it is a projected half-season from Bynum. A whole lot of it is the return of Mike Brown, who coached four straight top-10 defenses in his first Cleveland stint and even got the aging Lakers up to 13th in his only full season in L.A.”
Even if the present is still filled with a lot of questions, Doolittle still placed the Cavaliers even higher than the Detroit Pistons. ESPN predicts the Pistons will miss next season’s playoffs, and be on the outside looking in.
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