Cavaliers putting together a new team
After one game against an incredibly inferior opponent the new-look Cavs momentarily legitimized the massive trade that took place. Regardless of the opponent, the new team showed their capabilities. But the potential problem of the team being able to “gel” this late in the season won’t be resolved until everyone comes back from their respective injuries.
The upcoming game against Boston will no doubt be a formidable test for this Cavs team. If anything, the trade seems to have electrified the team, while bringing them back to the realization that they are in the thick of the playoff race, and that they are the defending Eastern Conference Champs. Aside from the obvious (LeBron James), nobody's position is necessarily safe right now. This brings forth a competitive balance within the team, forcing players to show up every night in order to solidify their respective roles on the team (taking games off is feasible and fairy common in the East).
It will be interesting to see how the team manages to mesh – if they do indeed mesh – as the games become more and more important. There is no doubt that the team is ultimately better from top to bottom. Mike Brown has a lot to figure out now that the depth of the team has increased. It is certainly nice to see a sense of urgency within the organization. It remains to be seen how these particular moves will transpire.