⭐️ The James Harden Cavs are SNEAKY title contenders - Tom's Title Tiers #17
James Harden's chance at the elusive title just got a lot bigger.
The Cleveland Cavaliers made the biggest splash at the trade deadline, swapping out Darius Garland for James Harden. But I think there’s another reason why I think the Cavs are sneaky title contenders.
Welcome to another edition of Tom’s Title Tiers! A reminder: This is my subjective list based largely on objective data. This is not a pure, analytical ranking. You’re here because you want to know what I think, to get inside my brain a little bit. Consider this a weekly report of what I see on film; what I glean from the numbers; what I hear on the phone; what I read in the news; what I feel.
This week’s featured squad: the Cleveland Cavaliers.
A reminder that teams are listed within each tier in alphabetical order, not in order of strength. Here’s a quick rundown of each tier:
Tom’s Title Tiers
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ This is a complete team, no notes.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Just missing that one thing.
⭐️⭐️⭐️ One move away from being one move away.
⭐️⭐️ So much has to break right.
⭐️ Sooo you’re saying there’s a chance.
Where should the Cavs go? Is it time to downgrade the suddenly short-handed Oklahoma City Thunder?
Let’s get to it.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Oklahoma City Thunder
Last week’s rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Record: 40-13 | 117.6 aORtg (4th), 106.7 aDRtg (1st), +10.9 aNet (1st)
Check out last month’s post about why I didn’t hit the panic button on OKC. I might soon. But man, if there’s one team that could use the All-Star break, it’s the Thunder, who are 3-5 in their last eight games and without SGA and Jalen Williams.
