The Cleveland Cavaliers have just one extremely tough stretch during their entire season, but that stretch could put an early end to their playoff aspirations.
Last season, the Cleveland Cavaliers could take their tough stretches and win several of the games, yet behind James and an occasional lack of effort, the team also dropped three in a row like it was nothing.
This season, they won’t have the ability to just beat mid-tier, borderline playoff teams like it’s nothing. They’ll have to give it their all each and every game, but they do have the younger personnel to be able to give that much-needed energy.
However, their entire 2018-2019 season could boil down to one extremely challenging nine-game stretch early on in the season. Prior to this nine-game stretch, the Cavs will have just fifteen games under their belt.
Following those fifteen, they kick this stretch off with what is bound to be one of the most emotional games of the season. That game is none other than the return of hometown hero and coveted superstar LeBron James.
James returns home on November 21.
One of just two games that Cleveland will have on ESPN, the Cavaliers will certainly be looking to avenge their city as James returns with the Los Angeles Lakers.
Following that game, they’ll have a one-day break till they have to play Philadelphia away on a late-November Friday night. Following that matchup against a top Eastern Conference team, they’ll immediately get Houston at home following their trip to the City of Brotherly Love.
So, Los Angeles, Philadelphia and Houston within four days will likely create the Cavs roughest three-game stretch of the season, but it doesn’t stop with just those three games.
Their next three are against Minnesota, Oklahoma City and Boston, two more Western Conference playoff contenders and the widely regarded best team in the East.
Following those three, they get Toronto, Brooklyn and Golden State. We’re talking about playing the best three Eastern Conference teams and the best three Western Conference teams within a nine-game stretch. Add in two borderline Western Conference playoff teams and it seems like a do-or-die stretch of games.
If the Cavs can somehow come out of this stretch with a mere four wins, they should be good moving forward. However, if they drop all the games besides their game against Brooklyn, it’ll be a tough road to the postseason.
The Cavs don’t have a contending team this season, but with Love’s recent extension, it shows that they want to make strides to be a playoff team. While that’s commendable, they’ll be out of the picture early if they can’t limit this nine-game stretch to just a handful of losses.