Why it's now -- or maybe never -- for the Cavaliers and Knicks

TEX WINTER, ONE of the 20th century's large hoops coaches, erstwhile summed up a classical NBA paradox with 5 words: Everything turns connected a trifle.

The league's champion teams often teeter connected a knife's edge, thriving acknowledgment to continuity but successful a changeless authorities of fragility, which explains the existent authorities of the weakened Eastern Conference.

The 2 favorites, who conscionable successful a made-for-television opener Wednesday successful New York, the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Knicks (7 p.m. ET connected ESPN), are successful this spot due to the fact that of the consistency of their rosters and misfortune of chap contenders.

The gut-churning images of Damian Lillard, past Jayson Tatum, and past Tyrese Haliburton, each taking fateful missteps and tearing their Achilles tendons successful a substance of weeks successful a achy playoff agelong has provided these 2 teams with the astir precious of NBA opportunities.

The model to scope the Finals for the Cavs and Knicks, who instrumentality each of their cardinal players with further extent down their roster, is wide open.

For now.

"We person a people connected our backs," caller Knicks manager Mike Brown said. "We amended bring it."

The Cavs person been accelerating toward this infinitesimal for 5 years, amassing a squad with 2 All-NBA players, Donovan Mitchell and Darius Garland, 4 players who person All-Star appearances connected their résumés, and an awesome dispersed of extent that has ballooned their payroll to conscionable nether $400 cardinal this season, including luxury taxes.

But due to the fact that of that, they person entered the nether satellite known arsenic the 2nd apron, and they are the lone squad presently surviving there.

Last season, 3 teams -- the Boston Celtics, Phoenix Suns and Minnesota Timberwolves -- were successful this penal portion of taxation and roster restriction, and each 3 fled this play by shedding cardinal players.

Three teams that were successful it the play earlier besides bailed retired aft 1 uncomfortable year.

No 1 stays successful the 2nd apron long, astatine slightest not successful the caller rule's infancy. So, portion the Cavs' halfway players are each successful their 20s, keeping this radical unneurotic could good beryllium untenable unless the squad starts to triumph bigger and now. The Celtics, for example, were successful the 2nd apron successful 2023-24 and, aft winning the 2024 title, they stayed successful the 2nd apron arsenic ownership spent astir $100 cardinal successful luxury taxes successful the two-year span.

The Cavs person been upset arsenic the higher effect successful 2 of the past 3 seasons successful the playoffs, and past season's second-round exit to the Indiana Pacers successful 5 games was bitter, aft a 64-win play appeared to acceptable them up for a agelong run.

"The question volition travel for us," Cavs president Koby Altman said. "How bash you navigate this corporate bargaining statement and the restrictions that we have? For us, we've acceptable ourselves up to person a runway with the guys we have."

But each runways yet tally retired of pavement, and the Cavs are nearing the extremity of theirs.

That's wherefore Altman traded for antiaircraft specializer defender Read Entire Article