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Previewing Sixers-Cavaliers: Can Cleveland win it all?

by myphillyconnection
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After a brutal three-game road trip, the Sixers will return home on Friday night as losers of seven contests in a row. Things will not get any easier, as they will face the Eastern Conference-best Cleveland Cavaliers, who trashed the Sixers in Cleveland last month.

Here to talk about one of the NBA's truly elite teams is Danny Cunningham, who covers the team for The Inside Shot and hosts the Locked on Cavs Podcast.

Adam Aaronson: The Cavaliers appear to have tremendous team chemistry, which is something a trade could theoretically disrupt. Clearly, the main components of this team are terrific. Do you believe the Cavaliers should pursue any rotation upgrades before the NBA's Feb. 6 trade deadline, or would it be too risky to shake up anything at all?

Danny Cunningham: The team chemistry has been one of the more underrated aspects of this Cavaliers team. They’ve been an elite team on the floor so far this season and everyone can see that, but they’ve been an elite group off it, too. I think it makes sense to keep an eye on the market for potential upgrades, specifically on the wing. Brooklyn’s Cam Johnson is the name that continues to be rumored as one the Cavs have interest in. He would be a perfect fit on the floor with the Cavs and give them a little bit more perimeter size – the one area where they are lacking.

The issue with that trade – any trade really – is that something needs to be given up, too. The Cavs only have one first round pick that can be traded this season, their 2031 unprotected first-round selection. With that in mind, my prediction is that they will ultimately be outbid for Johnson’s services by a team that has a greater chest of draft capital.

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AA: Of course, the Cavaliers being *this* good has been quite a surprise, but there were never doubts that each of their core players could eventually reach the levels of play they are at right now. Whether it is one of the team's four stars or a member of the supporting cast, which Cavaliers player's performance this year has been most surprising to you?

DC: The play of Jarrett Allen has been something that has really stood out to me this season. I don’t think anyone should be surprised that he’s capable of playing at the level he’s been at this season, but with the rise of Evan Mobley to previously unseen heights and a return to All-Star form for Darius Garland, I didn’t know that Allen’s role would allow him to be as good as he’s been this season. In NBA history, there hasn’t been a player to shoot 70 percent from the field and 70 percent from the free throw line and Allen (71.1 field goal percentage and 74 free throw percentage as of this writing) has a legitimate chance to be the first.

AA: Our old friend Georges Niang had a rough season in Cleveland last year. How have things gone this season for Niang? With this season and one more left on the three-year, $25.5 million contract which Niang signed with the Cavaliers as he departed Philadelphia, how do you view that deal in hindsight?

DC: I think the deal is fine in hindsight. Last season was certainly not Niang’s best season, but I do think he’s been better on both ends of the floor this year, even if his numbers don’t look that much different. I also think that Niang is a player that can be a product of his environment in some situations, and having improved play – and availability – from Garland and Mobley has been beneficial to Niang on the floor.

I’ll add that Niang plays a big role in the team chemistry side of things, too. His voice matters inside the locker room for the Cavs and I don’t think it’s a complete coincidence that when Niang left both Utah and Philadelphia those teams weren’t as successful or together as they were when he was there. The stat about Niang being the player with the best regular season record over the past decade often is brought up on the internet as sort of a joke, but there’s definitely something to it that people might not see when the cameras are rolling.

MORE: Evaluating potential trade markets for Sixers veterans

More Sixers-Cavaliers information

• Date/Time: Jan. 24, 7:00 p.m. EST

• TV: NBC Sports Philadelphia

Follow Adam on Twitter: @SixersAdam

Follow PhillyVoice on Twitter: @thephillyvoice

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