Buy or Sell: LeBron, Cavs prefer to avoid Heat

We are off and running in the second round of the NBA playoffs. In the East, the Cavs are up 1-0 on the Hawks after sweeping the Pistons. Meanwhile, the Raptors and Heat needed seven games to advance into the semifinals. Now both will square off, and who wins is anyone’s guess. Does LeBron and Co. have a preference as to who they face if/when they advance into the Eastern Conference finals?

In the West, the Warriors are handling their business as Steph Curry heals up. They got past the Rockets with ease, and beat the Blazers in Game 1 by double digits. The Warriors have been cruising, but how would they fare without their superstar — in the East?

As for the Thunder, they find themselves in one tough matchup against the Spurs. If they don’t advance, would it sway soon-to-be free agent Kevin Durant to move on from OKC? If so, where would be the perfect place for him to play? We dive in deeper in our latest Buy or Sell.

Buy or Sell: The Cavs want the Raptors, and not the Heat, in the conference finals.

Zach Harper: Buy. I don’t know that the Cleveland Cavaliers feel truly threatened by any of the teams left in the Eastern Conference. They have a distinct advantage over the Hawks right now. And the Hawks are probably as good as the Raptors and Heat (sans Chris Bosh). However, making sure you can have a mental advantage when it comes to the experience of what their opponents are going through matters, and the Heat don’t really offer that up. Dwyane Wade is a three-time champ and knows the ropes. Some of the Heat role players have been in a ton of playoff battles. They know what to expect in terms of the pressure of these later rounds.

The Raptors aren’t there, and that could end up mattering. They’ve gotten over the initial hump of clearing the first round of the playoffs, but will those jitters and struggles return if they manage to get four wins away from an NBA Finals appearance? The experience of LeBron James alone should allow the Cavs a mental edge in such a matchup. The Raptors would likely have the “happy to be here” mentality, while the Heat will be looking for Decision 2.0 revenge.

James Herbert: Sell. I don’t think the Cavs particularly care who they face in the conference finals, nor should they. This is far and away the most talented team in the Eastern Conference, and if they think of themselves as championship contenders, they should be able to handle either of these teams.

It’s a bit strange …

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