The Cleveland Cavaliers entered the season as one of the teams to beat in the Eastern Conference. Even after their playoff collapse, their status as last year's top seed was worthy of respect, especially given the plethora of injuries in the East.
Kenny Atkinson's team didn't necessarily live up to those expectations in the first half of the season. That said, they've been one of the hottest teams in basketball since the trade deadline, and they still have a strong chance to finish the season with a top-four or maybe even a top-two seed.
That's why, as threatening as the rising Charlotte Hornets might look, the Cavaliers shouldn't lose any sleep over Charles Lee's team.