Zach Lowe

I'm still in this masterpiece performance.

Wasn't close.

Like they just got straight up outclassed by the Lakers who are absolutely, excuse me, absolutely humming and almost like on both ends of the floor.

all the chemistry issues they had early in the season are gone.

It's Lucas team and it looks amazing.

And so like,

Max Struth started that game as sort of the fifth guy alongside the other four.

I think Cleveland's dream outcome would be that Struth takes that spot.

The other dream outcome is that Dean Wade can stay healthy for more than 10 consecutive days because they liked the defense with him and Mobley and Allen.

But in that game, you know, it felt almost like deja vu.

Cleveland got a little bigger swapping Garland for Harden, a little stouter physically, a little bit more switchable defensively.

And yet here they are playing the Lakers and Struce and Donovan Mitchell have to guard Austin Reeves and Luka Doncic.

And I'm like, this is...

The same basic problem that the Cavs have had against teams with two elite wings or playmakers like the Celtics, like Jalen Brunson, like how much has really changed for the Cavs?

You picked the Cavs to win the East or at least two weeks ago, I think you wrote a column about how the Cavs are going to win the East.

I've never gotten there with them and they are more confusing to me today than they were when you wrote that column.

What is your state of Cavs?

What is your Cavs con level?

I'm at Cavs.

I'm Cavs con three right now.