Cavs still have plenty to play for

The NBA playoffs start next weekend and though the identity of most of the teams are known, there's still the smaller matter of positioning to be played out. In the West, spots 2 through to 8 are still subject to change while the East's most pressing matter pertains to the final playoff spot and an inevitable first round match-up with Cleveland. For the record that poison chalice is currently being fought out between Toronto and Chicago, both 23 games adrift of the Cavs.

And what of those Cavs? For the bulk of the season they've led the East and maintained the NBA's best record. They've beaten the Lakers twice, have lost at home just once since early January and hold the league's healthiest points differential. Last Friday they won their 60th game for the season and in the process became only the sixth team in the last 20 years to record back to back 60 win seasons. They've done it all this season and have looked super impressive along the way. They even added two time NBA all-star Antawn Jamison six weeks ago. For nothing.

With a 6 game break at the top of the East and the number 1 spot already secured the Cavs could be excused for taking their foot off the pedal in preparation for the most important post-season in Cleveland professional sporting history. That's if they weren't intent on achieving something quite remarkable beforehand. Legitimate history in fact.

Only once in NBA history has a team posted back to back seasons of at least 64 wins. That honour goes to the Chicago Bulls who with Micheal Jordan at the peak of his already phenomenal powers had a 72 win '95-96 season which was capped off by a championship. The following year the Bulls won 69 games and were once again crowned champion. With 61 wins already in the bank Cleveland have 4 games remaining and need to win only 3 to join the Bulls in the conversation of two thoroughly commanding seasons. Their schedule's not ludicrous, Lebron's still averaging more than 38 minutes while only last night the Cavs posted their largest win in 8 outings. There's no evidence they're slowing down. Ironically Cleveland's final game push will start tomorrow where they play none other than the Bulls, in Chicago, themselves of course fighting for consecutive post-season appearances.

The Cavs will no doubt be all too aware that achieving 64 wins will mean nothing if they fail to land Cleveland their first ever NBA Championship in addition to being in a better position to re-sign the world's best and most marketable athlete. For the moment however what is on the table is an opportunity to do something only one of the greatest sporting organisations of all time have done. And then they can start concentrating on that championship.