LeBron James, Cavs still will coast in NBA’s Eastern Conference

Even on the best days of the year, Cleveland is a depressing, dreary city. But it does have a few bragging rights, none bigger than LeBron James. Where there is the King, there is hope.

During a season of instability, reports circulated about the Cavaliers’ demise. Players posted cryptic messages on Twitter, trade rumors swirled, the media hit the proverbial panic button and James talked of someday forming a new dream team. And, of course, there was a coaching change in January.

It was the NBA’s version of the UNLV basketball circus.

A couple of differences are James has put the Cavaliers back on solid ground, and the latest coach is not departing for a dusty Texas town. With the playoffs set to tip off, Cleveland is a minus-240 favorite to win the Eastern Conference and a 3-1 shot to claim the NBA championship.

“I could see the Cavs winning it all. I definitely could,” said Doug Kezirian, ESPN “SportsCenter” anchor. “I think the Cavs will have a much easier path to the Finals than people are giving them credit for. The East is better this year. But it comes down to I’ll believe it when I see a team that can beat LeBron four out of seven.”

Despite theories the West could be a little more unpredictable and wild, Kezirian is forecasting an NBA Finals sequel.

“I think the Warriors are going to rip through the playoffs,” he said. “I would be very surprised if the Warriors lose more than two games in the entire Western Conference playoffs.”

Everyone is fixated on three numbers — Golden State’s record 73 regular-season wins, Stephen Curry’s record 402 3-pointers and Kobe Bryant’s ridiculous 60-point game in his farewell with the Los Angeles Lakers.

But how about No. 6? James is aiming for his sixth consecutive Finals appearance, and he’s probably going to get there. In order of seeds, Toronto, Miami, Atlanta and Boston are the top contenders in the East, and all appear too flawed to take down LeBron.

“I like Atlanta, Toronto and Boston, but I don’t think any of those teams are capable of beating the Cavs in a seven-game series,” Sunset Station sports book director Chuck Esposito said. “For whatever reason, I have not been that high on the Heat all season. I think the Cavs will have a much easier time getting to the Finals again.”

The Cavaliers open against Detroit, but LeBron has not lost a first-round series in his NBA career, and No. 1 seeds don’t get upset early. In the conference semifinals, Cleveland will draw either the Hawks or Celtics. Brad Stevens, 39, is arguably the brightest young coach in the game, yet he also has an immature team without a superstar, so Boston is probably a player and a year away.

Kezirian called the Celtics and Hawks “completely outmanned” by Cleveland and added, “The Cavs will destroy the Celtics, and they have the Hawks’ number. The only problem with the Cavs is they don’t deliver the knockout, and they give up 15-point leads too easily. But LeBron is so good and so intelligent in the flow of the game that it won’t matter.”

So, fast forward to the East finals, where the Raptors or Heat could be waiting.

“The Raptors have laid eggs each of the past two seasons,” Kezirian said. “Everyone is assuming this year is different, but I need to see it to believe it with the Raptors. They strike me as overrated.”

Miami might be a cause for concern for Cleveland. Since James took his talents back to the dreary shores of Lake Erie, the Cavaliers are winless with four double-digit defeats on South Beach. While I like Dwyane Wade and the Heat’s chances, Kezirian (@DougESPN on Twitter) is picking them to fall to Charlotte in the first round.

“I have wanted to believe in the Heat all year,” Kezirian said, “but the Hornets are very well coached and the analytics favor them.”

James is energized and currently in peak form, averaging 28.8 points, 8.4 rebounds and 7.8 assists in five games in April. His coach-on-the-floor influence should more than compensate for rookie coach Tyronn Lue’s inexperience.

It sounds cool to say the Cavaliers are on shaky ground in the East, but, all things considered, the evidence is pointing James back to the Finals.

And while underdog bettors want to believe defending champion Golden State is an exhausted team on wobbly legs set up for a shocking fall, the truth is Warriors were razor sharp in their final two games.

“I don’t think the Warriors are a tired team,” Esposito said. “There have been so many naysayers about them, saying a jump-shooting team can’t win it all, and I think it’s kind of a motivational ploy for them.”

San Antonio will need to bank on the savvy of coach Gregg Popovich. Oklahoma City’s likely last ride with Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook seems ill fated. The Los Angeles Clippers will have to hope Blake Griffin did not use up all of his best shots on the team’s tiny equipment manager.

“The Thunder are two superstars and a bunch of role players. They will be lucky to contend with the Spurs in the second round,” Kezirian said. “The Clippers are the biggest threat in the West to the Warriors, but that’s only assuming Griffin can regain his form. The Clippers are the only team that can match firepower with the Warriors. The Spurs don’t have the horses. I don’t think people realize it’s just a horrible matchup for the Spurs.”

The Warriors, Spurs and Cavaliers will set too fast of a pace in what Esposito said “looks to be a three-horse race.”

No longer unanimously considered the best player on the planet — a debate Curry is leading — LeBron gets the next two months to make his case. If he wins the championship in June, Cleveland’s great depression would turn into one hell of a summer.

Las Vegas Review-Journal sports betting columnist Matt Youmans can be reached at myoumans@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2907. He co-hosts “The Las Vegas Sportsline” weekdays at 2 p.m. on ESPN Radio (1100 AM). Follow on Twitter: @mattyoumans247