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Kevin: I am putting the Cleveland Cavs this high based on pure potential. They weren't that great last year, lots of injuries and they made the most questionable number one overall pick since Greg Oden.
In saying all of that though, I'm looking for the Cavs to making a huge jump. I'm talking a Javier Sotomayor type of jump. Kyrie Irving will make another All-Star game, Dion Waiters won't cause so many broken televisions in the greater Cleveland area, which is bad news for all Best Buys in the area.
Then there is probably the biggest reason the Cavs are going to be the sixth seed and feel free to disagree; Andrew Bynum is going to come back and average 21 points and 13 rebounds a game for this team! That's after he gets a year or so of rust knocked off. Small caveat.
Drew: Hey I thought I was the one who was going to be high on the Cavs' but I guess you got a hold of my scented Sharpie collection.
I don't really know what to expect out of Bynum, if anything. Warning, entering Caveat Avenue: If he's "healthy" he "could be" one of the best low-post players in the NBA. If he's "healthy" and isn't one of the "best" low-post players (where we last saw him... two seasons ago), then the Cavs have a problem because his mobility is going to be exploited on defense. If he isn't "healthy"? Well, then they waive the rest of that non-guaranteed salary and go on their merry way.
I'm not high on Cleveland specifically because of Bynum or even remotely because of Bynum. This is all about the rest of the team. Dion Waiters should make a leap. Tristan Thompson changed hands and is going to become the next Hakeem Olajuwon. Speaking of hands, I expect Kyrie Irving keeps his digits healthy and plays more than 51 games.
It's all about health, though, for this team. An injury to Uncle Drew or not enough Anderson Varejao and the Cavs could easily dance around Nick Gilbert as he reels in the pick that will be Andrew Wiggins.
Still, I have em at six. This game has always been, and will always be, about buckets. Kyrie Irving gets ‘em.
Kevin: Drew, How can you discount Andrew Bynum? The man of not just 1,001 :hair styles, but 1,004 hair styles?
Seth: Well now, it's this fun....and kind of boring. I have the Cavs sixth as well. I don't want to be repetitive so I'm just going to add one name to the mix: Cody Zeller. Or is it Luke Zeller? Anyone, there's some goofy-looking Zeller on this team and I think he's pretty decent.