Cohen 8‑Ball: Bold Predictions
1 / 8Miami and Cleveland will play each other in First Round of playoffs next season Josh Cohen’s Analysis: With a more experienced Kyrie Irving, an underappreciated Anthony Bennett, who many suggested shouldn’t have been the No. 1 pick, a quality supporting cast including Tristan Thompson, Dion Waiters and Jarrett Jack and now a legit center (if he is healthy) in Andrew Bynum, the Cavaliers should have enough to reach the playoffs. It’s obviously impractical to forecast playoff seeds in July, but somehow, someway the Heat and Cavaliers need to match up in that opening round. With LeBron James likely to test free agency next summer and with endless reports that he may consider an implausible return to Cleveland, there would be no better dream scenario than a seven-game series between these two franchises.