You're missing out! This article was part of our April Fools Day 2006 spectacular. For the full effect, check the archived copy of the home page.

If you talk to most fans, it's a foregone conclusion that the Cavs are going to make the playoffs this season. But most fans are reactionary bandwagon jumpers who fail to see the big picture. For the 8th straight year, the team is not going to make the playoffs and here are the biggest reasons why:

• The Schedule. A factor often overlooked when predicting the distribution of playoff spots is scheduling. The Cavaliers have yet to play Miami, Charlotte, Philly, New York, New Jersey, New Orleans, Detroit, New York again, Washington, Boston, and finally Atlanta. All these teams are looking to gun down the upstart Cavs. I am not so sure the team is up to the challenge. This definitely is one of the hardest remaining schedules in the NBA--and a likely impediment to Cleveland reaching the playoffs for the first time since 1998. At best I see the Cavaliers wining one, maybe two of these games.
  
  
• Everyone Else. Looking at the standings, right now Washington, Milwaukee, Indiana, Philadelphia, Chicago, Boston, and Orlando are the teams in the rear-view mirror and looking to teach the Cavs a thing or two about making the playoffs. All of these teams have more playoff experience (see my comments below) than us and know how to get it done down the stretch. I haven't checked all of their schedules, but it's hard to imagine that theirs could be any more difficult than the Cavaliers'. These teams are simply not going to be stopped.
  
  
• Precedent. In 2004, when Jim Paxson swung a trade for new starting point guard Jeff McInnis, the team suddenly improved to playoff levels, yet an untimely injury by McInnis left the Cavs lifeless down the stretch and on the outside looking in come playoff time. On February 23, 2005, the Cavaliers were 31-21--the first time the team had been ten games over .500 since 1925 or something. But as you probably remember, the team promptly imploded. Jiri Welsch turned out not to be the savior we all expected, and the team once again missed out on "Let's Get It Started" by one freakin' game. Now we've seen two seasons of demonstrated choking, which is more than enough of a track record to predict future performance. The Cavaliers simply have a mental block on winning. It's like how Rick Ankiel forgot how to pitch, or how the Simpsons stopped being funny.
  
  
• Lack of Playoff Experience. To make a long story short, nobody on the team knows the right way to play: LeBron isn't clutch, Drew Gooden doesn't hustle and can't keep his head in the game, and you can't rely on Ilgauskas down the stretch because he's always in foul trouble. The only player on the roster with playoff experience is Eric Snow, and that simply isn't enough. These kids haven't learned what it takes to win yet.

I don't mean to be completely negative because the Cavaliers obviously have some things going for them, namely having LeBron James. Not to mention the recently acquired Flip Murray, who has been outstanding. At a time when the team desperately needed a second scorer to take shots at the ends of games, Danny Ferry shrewdly made his move. Murray is also an active defender and a great hustler.

But the evidence is right there in front of us and it's simply too great: the Cavs will be watching Round 1 of the 2006 playoffs from home. Luckily, with a decent offseason and some appropriate roster upheaval, they should be in a position to possibly secure a #7 or #8 in 2007. Time will tell.