NBA preview: LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers can upset the Golden State Warriors, says Reggie Miller and Brent Barry

NBA legends have their say ahead of the news season which starts next week

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NBA legends Reggie Miller and Brent Barry have had their say on the upcoming season which tips off next Wednesday evening.

The Golden state Warriors won the Larry O'Brien trophy last season, beating LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers despite a Herculean effort by James in the Finals.

The Cavaliers will be back to full health after stars Kryie Irving and Kevin Love missed huge playing time in the play-offs.

Barry and Miller, who now work as analysts for TNT and NBA TV believe that the Cavs have as good a chance as any as taking the crown from the Warriors, with Miller even tipping them to go all the way.

"I have Oklahoma City and Cleveland in The Finals with Cleveland winning," said the Hall of Fame guard who spent his entire career as an Indiana Pacer.

"The pieces that [General Manager] David Griffin and [head coach] David Blatt have put together with the re-signing of Kevin Love, and working on getting Kyrie Irving back and healthy...I think they will start off slow because of the injuries...but it’s not about how you start, it’s how you finish. If last season was any indication with them being banged up in The Finals and still taking the Warriors six games with LeBron James playing off the charts, something special is brewing in Cleveland.

"You want LeBron fresh. I wouldn’t be surprised if he takes another two-week sabbatical this year just to make sure his body is right. The Cavaliers will only go as far as LeBron will take them. He has shown us that. I would want him fresh and ready to go."

Barry, a two-time champion with the San Antonio Spurs in 2005 and 2007 added: "If you are not in awe of the other worldly talents of LeBron James at this point in his career... there is nothing on the basketball court he is not capable of doing.

"It will be interesting to see how LeBron handles that 4 January game in Milwaukee, and that game against Utah in late February. What kind of energy is he having to play with in those kind of games? Can you watch a game in the middle of the season, and see him impact his team, without him exerting his will and having to bail out the Cavs? In the beginning of last season, everything was him.

"He had to do everything and bail the team out. He has confidence in the guys he’s playing with. He now has a little bit more confidence in his coach, and what it is the team is going to be capable of doing. It will be fun to watch LeBron handle those games in that way. Not the games on Thursday or Sunday nights. The games where not everybody sees, and how he can still find a way to impact that game... and he can."

Miller added: "It’s all about LeBron. As long as he stays healthy and stays on the court, it’ hard to beat that dude four times. It really is. If he is healthy, engaged and has the rest of these guys around him. He has changed [veteran guard] J.R. Smith’s game. It will be interesting if they resign Tristan Thompson, and you’ve got the man in the middle in [Timofey] Mosgov. You’ve got experience and the best player on the planet…it’s all about minutes and how you manage them.

"Can LeBron win the MVP? Depends on the success of his team, but he’s certainly more than capable of putting up those huge numbers, we saw that in The Finals versus Golden State."

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The pair spoke at length on numerous topics and story lines for next season, read the full transcript below:

Barry on the future of the young Los Angeles Lakers: “This team is absolutely in flux. Who knows what they are capable of doing because there are so many dynamics going on from top to bottom; from the front office, to the team, to one of the most beloved Lakers to ever put on the uniform in Kobe Bryant. It’s a real soap opera. You have to think of the future and moving forward. How can you make sure that both [rookie point guard] D’Angelo Russell and [young power forward] Julius Randle know what they need to do and focus on this year. There is always talk of what the Lakers are and what they represent. Byron Scott [needs to tell them] they are not part of that yet. They wear the uniform. If [Russell and Randle] want to be part of what they are talking about, then they have to take strides… They have to stay in a bubble and develop. That is Byron Scott’s job, to challenge them, put them in a position to succeed, build their confidence and show flashes of the Lakers ability to be competitive sooner, rather than later.”

Miller on Lakers veteran guard Kobe Bryant’s return from injury: “Don’t be surprised if Kobe wins the comeback player of the year. [Head coach] Bryon Scott is going to have to play a masterfully hand of poker with Kobe.”

Miller on the young players surrounding Kobe: “All of these guys idolize Kobe. They grew up watching him and they want to put him in the best light, but Kobe has to allow them to put them in the best light. They can’t run everything through Kobe; not at this point in his career. He has to allow these young guys to grow, falter and fall down. I don’t mind tough love, but he can’t break them. There’s nothing wrong with being tough. If he allows them to grow within the ‘Black Mamba’ mantra, then the Lakers will be okay. Are they a playoff team? No. If the Lakers want to go forward as a franchise, these young players have to get better. They can get better under the tutelage of Kobe Bryant.”


 Kobe Bryant will return from season-ending injury
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Miller on the Los Angeles Clippers and the addition of veteran forward Paul Pierce: “They will have the deepest bench in the league. I love their chances. I love the Paul Pierce pickup. I think what was missing from that team was a closer. Throughout his career, Pierce has been a closer. Come the fourth quarter, come crunch time, you have to have a closer. He’s going to add that mix to the Clippers.”

Barry on the fate of the Chicago Bulls this season: “The most interesting thing that hangs over the Bulls is the cloud that is Derrick Rose, and if he can play. If he can’t play and the guys are questioning what they can get from him, it is going to be hard to find that consistency this year.”

Barry on Rose: “Every former player and everyone who watches basketball is rooting to see Derrick Rose play games and start to find that confidence on the floor, but you have to be realistic. Over the past two or three years, it hasn’t been there. Chicago has to come up with a massive Plan B if Derrick Rose does not ever assume what he could do on the floor prior to the 2011-12 season.”

Miller on the Bulls: “I like Chicago because of their bigs. Between Pau [Gasol], [Joakim] Noah, Taj [Gibson], [Nikola] Mirotic and the rookie Bobby Portis, you’ve got enough bigs [to take on] the hierarchy of the Eastern Conference. I can roll with Chicago if Derrick Rose is playing like Derrick Rose. If he’s faltering and you have to start [point guard Kirk] Hinrich or [point guard] Aaron Brooks, they are good…but they aren’t Derrick Rose. If Rose can’t do that, I think the Bulls are one of those teams that can easily slide to the four, five or six spot…even out of the playoffs.”

Miller on where the Miami Heat fall in the Eastern Conference: “It will depend on health. How many games will [power forward] Chris Bosh stay on the court, along with [guard] Dwyane Wade? Having Chris Bosh back healthy and ready to go, and drafting Justise Winslow, I could easily see these guys as a top-four team. But if they aren’t able to stay on the court, I can easily see the Heat barely scratching in and getting into the playoffs. However, talent-wise, they are top-four team.”

Barry on the Heat: “There should be more consistency in the Heat’s second unit this year. With their depth and the way they handle the minutes throughout the year, [head coach] Erik Spoelstra can find ways to get that second unit some time and make sure they stay fresh and confident.”

Miller on Kevin Durant’s impending free agency and whether he will leave the Thunder: “I think it is only a story if Kevin Durant makes it a story. And from everything I’ve heard, he wants to focus on this season and winning a championship for the Thunder. Bottom line, it will come down to the success of the Thunder. If they win and get to the Western Conference Finals, there is no question…he stays. But if they falter, for whatever reason, if there are injuries or they get upset, and they lose in the first or second round, I can very well see Kevin Durant jumping ship and going somewhere else. I wouldn’t be surprised.”

Barry on Durant’s free agency: "The story is going to be kept alive by every team that will tell their fan base ‘We have a shot at Kevin Durant.'”

Miller on whether LeBron James’ age will play a factor in his 2015-16 performance and what makes him different than other aging stars: “I think a lot of it will have to do with that training staff in Cleveland, as well as [head coach] David Blatt and those minutes. From LeBron’s own words, ‘I’m going to lead this team, but I don’t have to carry this team.’ We saw last year, down the stretch, with no Kyrie [Irving], no Kevin [Love], that he was leading and carrying. He ran out of gas. I think he recognized that. When everyone is whole and this team is healthy, he is going to lead by example, but he won’t have to carry them. He is going to delegate a lot of the scoring to Kyrie, and they are going to put Kevin Love in better positions to score the basketball.”

Barry on the Houston Rockets: “There were significant injuries on the Rockets last year. [Head coach] Kevin McHale has to manage his team’s minutes way differently this year, with guys down the roster that are going to be healthy. Hopefully Dwight [Howard] is healthy, but McHale has to manage the minutes and the mentality of those player to keep them ready. That is going to be an interesting thing for him to handle this season.”


 The Golden State Warriors and Houston Rockets will again contend in the Western Conference
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Miller on the health of the Rockets: "It will be interesting to watch the health of the Rockets. [Forward] Trevor Ariza, [guard] James Harden, [point guard] Patrick Beverley and the addition of [point guard] Ty Lawson to go along with Harden. Kevin McHale said it has been interesting to see the dynamic between those players. Out of all his starters, they have not been healthy enough to have practice time together. You have to find some type of rhythm, chemistry, before the start of the season.”

Miller on Pelicans star Anthony Davis and the talent around him: “Davis got a taste of the playoffs last year. Winning and being in the playoffs is like a drug. You always want it. When you are Anthony Davis and you’ve had that type of success, you are the No. 1 paid player, you have a boatload of commercials, and now you’ve touched the playoffs…you were up 23 points in Game 3 at home and everyone is patting you on the back…you want to get there and go further. That’s the drug fueling you. Now you bring in a championship head coach. If Davis wants to take that next step, he’s got to be able to do all of this. If he can be the No. 1 option that everyone assumes he is, then he can take the team to the next level.”

Miller on the Sacramento Kings: “I can’t wait to see [point guard] Rajon Rondo, [center] Boogie [DeMarcus Cousins] and [head coach] George Karl. I want to see it. They are one of my teams that can sneak in that eight spot. If things are clicking, the way that [forward] Rudy Gay has been playing during preseason, mixed in with the genius of Coach Karl, it could be great.”

Barry on Karl: “To think that George Karl could put together this maniacal roster, and it could be effective enough to get into the playoffs, what a remarkable coaching job that would be. He could be considered for Coach of the Year.”

Miller on the Utah Jazz: “Anyone that can protect the paint and protect the rim like that, I like Utah.”

Miller on the Jazz and Kings: “Those two teams are going to be scratching for that eighth spot in the West.”

Barry on the future of the Boston Celtics: “The second half of the 2014-15 season was absolutely amazing for the Celtics. They went on an incredible tear and played some great basketball. One of the things that I do like is their perimeter defense with their bigs, and [their acquisition of] veteran David Lee to teach guys like [center] Tyler Zeller. And look at their depth. Last year, they shot more shots than any other team in the league. [Head coach] Brad Stevens had done a great job of establishing a ball moving culture with this squad. I just don’t know who it is that’s going to stand out other than [point guard] Isaiah Thomas, being a guy that you are absolutely threatened by what he can do on the floor. Is there another Celtic that can make that kind of stride this season? I’m not sure there is.”

Miller on Celtics head coach Brad Stevens: “The face of the Celtics is Brad Stevens. They don’t have enough scoring to go against a Cleveland, Chicago, Toronto or Miami, but defensively, they can really get after you. I don’t think they have enough scoring on a consistent basis other than Isaiah Thomas coming off the bench to put the fear of God in other teams. Stevens and [General Manager] Danny Ainge are the face of the Celtics going forward.”

Miller on a young Orlando Magic team: “I believe the Magic have a real shot at a playoff spot in the East. [Head coach] Scott Skiles is going to hold everyone accountable. I hope he learned from his last couple spots in Chicago and Milwaukee on how to approach young players. He’s got a very talented, young team. It’s about how he approaches them on and off the court. I think their back court is terrific. They can learn together.”

Miller on Skiles: “Scott Skiles has pieces, and he is a no-nonsense coach. Having played with him in Indiana, I know what he’s all about. I really feel that they have a shot at that eight-spot if they click and buy into the system of Skiles, especially in the East.”

Barry on the Magic: “The Magic are an interesting team. [Former head coach] Jacque Vaughn was doing something there, trying to create a foundation with the development of younger players. That cycle seemed to keep going for them with the Scott Skiles hire, a veteran coach. It’s a new direction and an opportunity for these guys to play some minutes…get in there, get their feet wet and compete at a high level.”