Zach Lowe

I'll tell you what the Cavs haven't earned.

the Cavs haven't earned the right for us to just pen them in the second round when the Hawks are playing so well.

Okay.

The Hawks are fifth.

I sort of can't believe that the Hawks are sustaining this against non tanking teams, but they are, they beat the hell out of the magic in Orlando.

Second, I'd have a back-to-back for Orlando, but you know, you'd think a team with a lot at stake would come out, not lose by 30 at home.

The magic lost by 30 at home.

Um,

Look, the Cavs should be awesome.

And the offense is awesome.

And they found instantly the right balance between the half court, when everyone's on the floor, kind of hardens domain with Mitchell as a secondary attacker.

Transition is all Donovan Mitchell, catch and go.

Harden Allen, central casting, pick and roll combo, Harden mostly coming along in Allen's absence.

You throw it all together.

You have the recipe for a great and deep team.

It's just a team that, you know, when it's run into some playoff bullies has not exactly responded with fervor and the Pistons are

I'm guilty of it, focusing on what they don't have in terms of shooting and secondary playmaking, which, by the way, they're proving we got a little bit more of the second thing than you thought.

They are bullies, and they will kick the absolute living shit out of you if you're not ready to face them.

And the Cavs seem pretty happy to be in the fourth seed and to draw the Pistons in the second round if they get there.

If Cade's back...