At first glance, with an 8-0 playoff record, the Cleveland Cavaliers appear in full juggernaut mode.
Toronto Raptors coach Dwane Casey said his team ran into a "buzzsaw" in the Eastern Conference semifinals and called the Cavs "a well-oiled machine."
LeBron James is shooting 47 percent from 3-point range, a career playoff-best, and 56 percent from the field, second-highest in his 12 postseason appearances.
The Cavs rank first among playoff teams in field-goal percentage (49), 3-point percentage (43.4) and offensive efficiency (117) and second in scoring (114.5). Their defensive efficiency (105.9) stands fourth among playoff qualifiers after finishing the regular season tied for 22nd.
Yet Sunday night in Air Canada Centre, Kevin Love said, "We still have another level that we can get to."
And every teammate to whom that observation was broached agreed with him.
"I know exactly what he's talking about. We have another level," James said.
"Times during the game when we're not clicking all the way," Kyle Korver observed.
For Cavs fans, that might be as encouraging as it gets.
As dominant as James has been, as relatively easy as the Golden State Warriors' Draymond Green believes the Cavs have had it in the first two rounds, they still haven't peaked.
I can almost hear Frank Sinatra crooning "The Best is Yet To Come" in the background.
Yet it was easy to see why Love believed the Cavs can improve.
Although Love's shooting percentages of 43 percent from the field and 40.5 from 3-point range against the Raptors were up from the regular season, he missed some shots he usually makes from long distance in the series and had only five rebounds in Game 4. Kyrie Irving shot 40 percent from the field and made 28 percent of his 3s, an improvement from his 21.9 beyond the arc against the Pacers, but still not close to his capabilities.
The Cavs have averaged 13.3 turnovers through eight games; only six playoff teams have been worse.
There is also room for improvement defensively. The Cavs rank 10th among playoff teams in points per game (104.9), ninth in field-goal percentage (45.9) and tied for eighth in 3-point percentage (35.1). That might not seem alarming except for the fact that the Warriors stand second, first and fifth in those respective categories.
When James was asked what another level for the Cavs means, he said, "Even though we won this series, there's some things we can clean up. Offensively, ball movement throughout the course of the game. Get to our spots a lot sooner. Defensively, communicating just a little bit more."
Iman Shumpert didn't seem concerned about the fact that Irving and Love have yet to hit their stride.
"Yeah, but that's not a concern of mine. Those guys within our offense are put in positions to get in a rhythm and the shots that they're missing they make in their sleep," Shumpert said Sunday. "Kevin missed a couple 3s today that's like, he doesn't miss those shots. Ky's missed a couple chippies around the rim, he doesn't miss those shots. When that's your biggest problem that some of your best players have been a little off and you're still winning, that's a great problem to have."
Shumpert said that bodes well for the Cavs' future.
"Without a doubt. Those guys are such competitors. With these seven days off, they'll be in the gym, they'll be ready to go for the next round," he said.
J.R. Smith didn't like the way the Cavs blew a 16-point third quarter lead in Game 4 and let the Raptors go ahead by one with 6:38 remaining. He made a reference to the Cavs rallying from a 3-1 deficit in the 2016 Finals against the Warriors to capture the championship.
"We have to kick into another gear at that point, especially during a closeout game," he said. "You never want to give a team hope for anything. We know that from being down 3-1. Regardless if (they're) down 3-0, 3-1 it doesn't matter, you don't want to give any team any hope."
That shows Smith knows the Cavs need more of a killer instinct, another plus going forward.
Green might be bored watching the Cavaliers, saying Monday night after the Warriors completed a sweep of the Utah Jazz, "When you watch Cleveland play, you're only watching one side of the good basketball. That's kind of weak."
If he was trying to tweak the team he expects to face for the third consecutive year in The Finals, it might backfire. Green might not realize the Cavs' best might be yet to come.
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