Will the 2010 Cavs Be Better Than 2009 Cavs?

It seemed like the Cavaliers added a new player to their roster every week of the off-season. But will they be able to improve on their 66 win regular season and appearance in the Eastern conference finals?

Here's a look at the top ten players from the 2009 roster vs the 2010 roster:

2009                                   2010
LeBron James                     LeBron James
Mo Williams                        Mo Williams
Anderson Varejao                Anderson Varejao
Zydrunas Ilgauskas              Shaquille O'Neal
Delonte West                      Delonte West
Daniel Gibson                      Daniel Gibson
Sasha Pavlovic                    Anthony Parker
Wally Szczberiak                 Jamario Moon
Ben Wallace                        Leon Powe
Joe Smith                            Zydrunas Ilgauskas

The most glaring change comes in the middle. Shaq definitely gives Cleveland a presence in the paint on both ends. He also eases the burden/minutes of Big Z. While critics say he will only clog the lane for LeBron James, that remains to be seen. And not having offensive-minded assistant coach John Kuester certainly won't help the situation (he left for Detroit). Ultimately, having Shaq is a plus, but he's not the difference maker many of the talking heads on ABC/ESPN think he is. 

I love the bench. Parker can shoot, Moon can slash, and Powe can bang. It also has a ton more athleticism. The only drawback - it could take a while to establish a set rotation.

The Cavs biggest liability is head coach Mike Brown. His inability to adjust to the Magic (offensively and defensively) in the ECF was obvious. How will he handle Shaq, all the new bench bodies, the higher expectations and life without his offensive asst coach?

I think Cleveland will win 60+ games again this season, but they are equal to the Celtics. I expect to see them battle the C's in the conference finals.