The Central Division landscape changed dramatically this past offseason when LeBron James announced his shock return to the Cleveland Cavaliers. With Kevin Love also joining him this past summer, are the Cavaliers a lock for the division title? Or will another team steal their thunder this season?
Read on for our complete Central Division preview below and while you’re at it, you can check out complete picks and predictions for the upcoming 2014-15 NBA season.
[sc:NBAArticles ]NBA Central Division Preview for the 2014-15 Season
Overview
[sc:NBA240banner ]What a difference a year makes. Last season, the Indiana Pacers (56-26) cruised to the Central Division title winning by eight games over second-placed Chicago (48-28). Coming in third were the Cleveland Cavaliers who finished 23 games back at 33-49. The Detroit Pistons came in fourth with a 29-53 record while the Milwaukee Bucks finished dead last with a woeful 15-67 mark.
Key Rivalry – Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Chicago Bulls
For the longest time, the Chicago Bulls had the Cleveland Cavaliers number. Who can forget Michael Jordan’s memorable last-second shot to beat the Cavs in Game 5 of the 1989 Eastern Conference First Round? The Bulls went on to win six NBA titles after that, the last coming in 1998.
That all changed, though, when the Cavaliers drafted LeBron James as their No. 1 overall pick back in 2003. Suddenly, the Cavs were the top dogs as they reached the NBA Finals for the first time in their franchise history in 2007. Unfortunately the Cavs couldn’t get over the hump and LeBron decided to part ways with the club and joined Miami to form a Big Three with Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade.
With LeBron gone, the balance of power shifted once again to the Bulls as they took command with Derrick Rose at the helm. The explosive guard won the MVP award in 2011 as he led the Bulls to the Eastern Conference Finals where he was stopped by LeBron and the Miami Heat in five games.
LeBron went on to win two NBA titles with the Heat while Rose’s path to superstardom was halted by two crippling knee injuries.Suddenly, it was the Pacers’ turn to rule the division. The Bulls-Cavs rivalry seemed to be all but dead.
But then, a sudden turn. LeBron decided to suit up for Cleveland once again. Indiana’s chances evaporated when Paul George broke his leg in a Team USA practice game. And with Derrick Rose returning to an already formidable Bulls squad, it was all Cleveland-Chicago again.
The fans got a glimpse of what to expect this season when they faced off in a preseason game last Monday. Derrick Rose and Kyrie Irving put on quite a show as the two point guards engaged in an offensive shootout. Irving scored 28 points to lead the Cavaliers to a 107-98 win but it was Rose who grabbed the headlines as he signalled his return to form with a 30-point explosion in that game.
Barring any injuries, it’s almost inevitable that these two teams will face each other in the Eastern Conference Finals next year.
Key Player – LeBron James (Cleveland Cavaliers)
All of Cleveland rejoiced when LeBron James announced his decision to return to the Cavaliers last July. Why not? The best player in the world will make their team relevant once again. King James was a total beast for the Miami Heat last season as he led the team in points (27.4), rebounds (7.1), assists (4.8) and steals (1.8).
Expect more of the same from LeBron this season as he tries to lead Cleveland to its first ever NBA title. NBA general managers seem to also agree as 67.9 percent of those who were surveyed picked the Ohio native to win his fifth MVP crown this season.
Favorites – Cleveland Cavaliers and Chicago Bulls
Anytime you have the world’s best player in your team, chances are the bookmakers will list you as the favorite to win. That is certainly the case with the Cleveland Cavaliers who are overwhelming favorites at -210 to win the Central Division with LeBron James returning to their fold this year.
It’s not only James’ arrival that makes Cleveland such a frightening team to face this season. They also acquired Kevin Love this past summer to add another All-Star to their ranks. Love averaged 26.1 points and 12.5 rebounds for the Wolves last season and even with such impressive stats, some still consider him as the third wheel in Cleveland’s Big Three.
Coming in a close second are the Chicago Bulls who are listed at +150 to win the division crown this season. Like the Cavs, they have upgraded their roster this offseason, signing veteran big man Pau Gasol and power forward Nikola Mirotic to beef up their frontline.
With Derrick Rose returning to full health this season, the Bulls will definitely give the Cavs a run for their money this season.
Sleeper – Detroit Pistons
The biggest move the Pistons made this past offseason was when they signed Stan Van Gundy to be their coach and president of basketball operations. Van Gundy is a proven winner as he once led the Orlando Magic to the NBA Finals back in 2009. His coaching record is an impressive 334-179 (.651) and will provide stability to a team that has gone through nine different coaches in 14 seasons.
With Van Gundy providing that winning mentality, the Pistons may be a good bet to have at +5,000 to win the division this season.
Writer’s Prediction
The Cavs (-210) will storm away from the pack and finish the season 60-22. Create a betting account now and cash in on the NBA Futures.
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