The top-seeded Cavaliers and Thunder didn’t just sweep their first-round playoff opponents; they drubbed them.
While the Cavs destroyed the Heat by an average margin of 30.5 points, the Thunder beat the Grizzlies across four games by 19.5 points.
The thumping success is an early indicator that the teams are not just regular-season wonders and may have the tools to win it all. Both teams were heavily doubted despite their 60-win seasons, with many expecting them to fold against more experienced, playoff-tested teams.
ESPN’s Marcus Morris made the astonishing statement that the Thunder are “not deep enough” to make a run at the NBA title. Patrick Beverley similarly disrespected the Cavaliers by suggesting that “no one is afraid” of Donovan Mitchell and Co. entering the postseason.
Beverley probably regretted making those comments after watching the Cavaliers obliterate the Heat, 138-83, in a series-clinching Game 4 win on Monday. Kenny Atkinson’s men made NBA history by beating the Cavaliers by a combined margin of 122 points across four wins.
Many of those analysts could be forced to eat more crow in the coming weeks, especially if the Cavaliers and Thunder continue to dominate their opponents.
