One NBA analyst believes the Cleveland Cavaliers will win the East.
The Cleveland Cavaliers haven't advanced past the second round of the playoffs since 2018, but that didn't stop one NBA analyst from picking the team to win the East this season.
Sam Quinn of CBS Sports thinks the Cavaliers, led by James Harden, Donovan Mitchell, Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen, will win the Eastern Conference but lose to the Oklahoma City Thunder in the 2026 NBA Finals.
"I'm fully prepared to look foolish in the East," Quinn wrote. "I've fallen for James Harden teams plenty of times in the past and it's never gone well. His task is more manageable this time around. The Cavs don't need him to do everything. They need him to create easy buckets for the bigs and keep the offense afloat when Donovan Mitchell rests. That's doable. Their big four has played only around 200 possessions together ... but is +52 in those minutes.
"I wish they were a bit more athletic, but they have so many useful bench specialists that they'll be more versatile than most assume. I don't think the Pistons have a good enough half-court offense. I'm concerned that we're two years in and the Knicks' starters still don't really work together. I think Boston's roster is a bit more exploitable defensively in a playoff setting than it was a year ago, and I just don't think Jayson Tatum is quite his old self yet. So hand me my dunce cap because I'm picking James Harden to make the Finals."
The Cavaliers face the Toronto Raptors in the first round of the 2026 playoffs. If they beat Toronto, Cleveland would face the Detroit Pistons in the second round, assuming Detroit doesn't get upset in the first round.
If the Cavaliers reach the conference finals, they will face the New York Knicks, Atlanta Hawks, Boston Celtics, Philadelphia 76ers or Orlando Magic.
Cleveland is under immense pressure to have a successful 2026 playoffs. Why? Because according to Joe Vardon of The Athletic, the general feeling is that the Cavaliers have to reach the Eastern Conference Finals this year to avoid a substantial shakeup.
Mitchell is eligible to sign an extension with Cleveland this offseason, while Harden has a player option for next season that he's expected to decline to enter free agency. If the Cavaliers don't perform well in the 2026 playoffs, there is a scenario where Mitchell doesn't sign an extension and becomes a trade candidate and Harden leaves the team in free agency.
All eyes will be on Mitchell and Harden once the 2026 postseason begins.
Cavaliers Roundtable also offers a fan community and message board. We’d love to have you join us to talk all things Cavaliers. Click the “Join” button at the top of the page to join our community for free.