Central Division

Cleveland Cavaliers Power Rankings - 2012-13

Power Ranking
WEEKRECORDRANKCOMMENT
Week 2424-5628The Cavs' season will be remembered for the flashes of brilliance from Kyrie Irving. And the countless injuries that derailed Irving, rebound king Anderson Varejao and so many others. And their bizarre habit of losing more games than they won -- going 3-4 -- after leading by 20 points or more.
Week 2324-5225The Cavs just won back-to-back games for the first time since the end of February ... but who in Cleveland will even notice after Kyrie Irving told local reporters that he prefers not to field questions about Byron Scott and whether he'd be disappointed if his only NBA coach to date is dismissed?
Week 2222-5026Turns out Kyrie Irving isn't out for the season after that shoulder strain, but the kid's unexpected return won't shift the focus away from Byron Scott's future after Dan Gilbert tweeted about defensive issues and a few players complained anonymously to the Akron Beacon Journal.
Week 2122-4723Will we see Kyrie Irving again this season? Should we see Kyrie Irving again this season? Those are probably the only pertinent questions still worth asking about the 2012-13 Cavs with Dion Waiters -- and obviously Anderson Varejao -- on the shelf in worse shape than Kyrie.
Week 2022-4421The Cavs continue to be more dangerous than you think and had legit shots to win during the weekend in both Dallas and San Antonio. The problem? Without Mr. Fourth Quarter, they couldn't close. And the reality is we might have seen the last of Kyrie Irving (shoulder) for the season. Sadly.
Week 1921-4222X-rays were negative on Kyrie Irving's latest injury -- bruised shoulder this time -- but one of the hot stats of the weekend stung in its own way: Miami, by clinching a playoff spot in its 60th game, became the fastest team to do that since the Cavs, with LeBron, also clinched in Game 60 in 2008-09.
Week 1820-3921Have you noticed that the Cavs are a sneaky 10-7 since starting 10-32? I'll tell you who has noticed: Cavs fans. It's a loyal, loyal bunch not happy that freshly named Eastern Conference Rookie of the Month Dion Waiters was denied the sort of props Bradley Beal got from the evil Trimester committee.
Week 1718-3822With Marreese Speights filling in admirably for Anderson Varejao, Cleveland has quietly won seven of its past nine games against Eastern Conference opposition. The Cavs, though, also have led by as many as eight points in the fourth quarter in Miami twice this season ... and lost both times.
Week 1616-3725The Cavs started the year horribly, but they've been quietly respectable in 2013. Kyrie Irving gets most of the credit, but Tristan Thompson is breaking out, too: 18 double-doubles and a true shooting percentage (52.9) six points higher than as a rookie. (Colin McGowan, Cavs: The Blog)
Week 1516-3523Here's why you shouldn't waste time worrying about Cleveland's record when you watch Kyrie Irving at All-Star Weekend: Kyrie's Cavs are a passable 11-12 since a Dec. 22 win at Milwaukee and now have Marreese Speights teamed up with Tristan Thompson to fill the Varejao Void.
Week 1414-3424Totally down with crazy good Kyrie Irving on the East All-Stars even with his team mired at 14-34. Not there yet, though, with Kyrie starting in place of the injured Rajon Rondo. Wild as it'd be to see Irving lining up next to LeBron, Erik Spoelstra has every right to give Rondo's spot to Chris Bosh.
Week 1313-3225The list is so impressive that it bears repeating: Kyrie Irving just became the sixth-youngest All-Star ever. He'll be 20 years, 331 days old on Feb. 17 in Houston, meaning only Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, Magic Johnson, Kevin Garnett and Isiah Thomas made it to All-Star Weekend faster.
Week 1210-3227Kyrie Irving is up to six 30-point games this season after just one as a rook. Tristan Thompson is up to 11 doubles in 16 games since Andy Varejao went down. And the schedule, most crucially, eases up in the second half after the young, beat-up Cavs played 26 of their first 42 games on the road.
Week 119-3030Brutal, brutal week. The loss of Anderson Varejao not only scuttles their trade prospects but also inflicts an emotional blow on the whole organization. Not even sure we can add that win over Atlanta to the Cavs' sneaky-good list of quality W's given the state of the Hawks these days.
Week 108-2728The good news: Kyrie Irving just posted the first consecutive 30-point games of his NBA life and Tristan Thompson continues to be a regular double-double guy while Andy Varejao heals. The bad news: Cleveland leads the league with an excruciating seven losses by three points or less.
Week 97-2528The Cavs with no Andy Varejao can be almost as hard to watch as the Kyrie-less Cavs. It's been six games and counting thanks to the robo-rebounder's bad knee, forcing them to focus on a few upsets so far (Clippers in L.A., don't forget!) and Tristan Thompson's five recent double-doubles.
Week 86-2327The Cavs obviously become watchable with Kyrie Irving back, but they also suffer from just about the slimmest margin for error in the whole league and can't get healthy. The latest example: As soon as Dion Waiters returns, board machine Andy Varejao goes down with a bruised knee.
Week 75-2027A quick 28 points, 11 assists and 6 boards against the Lakers in his return from an 11-game absence? An eruption four nights later to become the youngest player ever to score 40-plus points at MSG? Guess I know now what Kyrie Irving thinks of my recent "I'm officially worried" missive.
Week 64-1730Anyone remember that 2-2 start? Didn't think so. I'm afraid there's little else we can do in this cyberspace beyond tracking Andy Varejao's rebounds and trade possibilities with Kyrie Irving and Dion Waiters out. 'Cause the Cavs can't score enough without 'em to even keep games close.
Week 54-1325The Cavs are clearly trying to get the committee to relocate with Maccabi Tel Aviv alumnus Jeremy Pargo starting and Maccabi legend Omri Casspi back in favor. Legit Cavs lovers, though, are surely down now with poor Andy Varejao missing Dion Waiters (ankle) and Kyrie Irving (finger).
Week 43-1028The Cavs beat the Clippers in L.A. They should have beaten the Heat in Miami even with Kyrie Irving out. Think we'll stay focused on Andy Varejao (15+ boards in eight games already) or the positive stirrings from my man Omri Casspi instead of trying to explain those anomalies.
Week 32-829Weary of hearing about the Cavs' overmatched bench or their bottom-three D or a nightly point differential (-7.0) that also ranks as one of the league's three worst after six straight Ls? Perhaps you'd enjoy this detour look at Kyrie Irving's off-court marketability starring our own Darren Rovell?
Week 22-527Andy Varejao's determination to play through knee soreness over the weekend allowed the Cavs, with Kyrie Irving and Dion Waiters flanking the Brazilian, to keep trotting out one of the league's most quietly watchable trios. Just don't tune in expecting to see any D or bench punch.
Week 11-226The good news: Kyrie is picking up right where he left off and Varejao literally couldn't have rebounded from last season's injury woes any more emphatically. The bad news: Byron Scott's young bench looks overwhelmed already. (Unsolicited committee advice: It's Casspi Time.)
Preseason0-028Those 10 Cavs with two seasons or less of NBA experience are in for a testing start, to say the least. After a shaky preseason for rookie Dion Waiters, and Kyrie Irving's trip to the dentist to remove four wisdom teeth, Cleveland soon leaves town for a six-game trip.
Training Camp21-4528The Cavs, with five or six first- and second-year players in their rotation, will ask their fans for more patience. And you know what? With Varejao coming back and Kyrie poised to serve up more thrills, they'll undoubtedly get it whether or not Waiters dazzles or stumbles early.

Cleveland Cavaliers