Next two games for Cavs vs. Raptors, Bulls are make-or-break

The Cleveland Cavaliers just wrapped up a 5-game homestand where they were relatively successful. They went 3-2 as they defeated the Los Angeles Clippers (overtime), Denver Nuggets (overtime), and Detroit Pistons. The two losses were painful as they fell to the Philadelphia 76ers and Los Angeles Lakers. Now they embark on a two-game stretch that is a make-or-break situation.

First, the Cavs will be going north of the border to take on the Toronto Raptors on Thursday. Then they’ll return to Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse to begin a three-game homestand. The first game of that homestand will be a matchup with their biggest rival in the Central Division, the Chicago Bulls.

The Cavaliers, Raptors, and Bulls are in a virtual tie for 5th-7th place in the Eastern Conference. In their next two games, the Cavs play both teams.

As of right now, Chicago is 42-30 putting them in fifth place in the East. Cleveland is 41-31 which is good enough for sixth place in the Eastern Conference; if the season ended today, both teams would be in the playoffs. Meanwhile, Toronto is 40-32 which leaves them sitting in seventh place. Being in seventh place means the Raptors would not make the playoffs, instead, they would be in the play-in tournament.

The Cavaliers have already clinched the season series against the Raptors 3-0. This includes the game on March 6 in Cleveland that was on ESPN. Unfortunately, that’s the game where Cleveland lost center Jarrett Allen to a finger injury.

Aside from the 144-99 beatdown that Cleveland put on Toronto the day after Christmas, the games between the Cavaliers and Raptors this season have been very close. In fact, the first game of the series on November 5 in Toronto came down to one point (Cleveland won 102-101). This could be a sign of what’s to come on Thursday at the Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

The stakes couldn’t be any higher for Thursday’s game! They’re sixth and seventh in the conference standings. One team is in the playoffs, the other is in the play-in tournament. But they could switch places depending on the outcome. Whoever ends up finishing in seventh place would likely host the Brooklyn Nets in the play-in.

It’s not surprising that the Raptors and Cavaliers are neck and neck in the Eastern Conference standings. They have a history of meeting each other when the stakes are raised. They met in the 2016 Eastern Conference Finals, 2017 Eastern Conference Semifinals, and the 2018 Eastern Conference Semifinals. Cleveland won all three series. The series in 2017 and 2018 were both 4-0 sweeps while the 2016 ECF went to six games.

As of right now, the Cavaliers are trailing the season series against the Bulls 2-1. Both losses against Chicago came in the “Windy City”. So far, all three games have been decided by double digits. The first game was a 23-point difference as the Cavs won 115-92. The second game was a 13 point difference as the Bulls won 117-104. The third game was a 10 point difference as Chicago won 101-91. The margin of victory is getting smaller and smaller. If that trend continues, then Saturday’s game at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse could come down to the final minute. Any turnover or foul in crunch time could make the difference.

Chicago just barely sits ahead of Cleveland in the standings, so Saturday’s game could ultimately be the deciding factor in who finishes where in the standings. Right now, Chicago would match up with the Boston Celtics in the 4 v. 5 matchup. Cleveland would take on the defending NBA champion Milwaukee Bucks in the 3 v. 6 matchup.

As stated earlier, these three teams are right next to each other in the Eastern Conference standings. Thus, any loss by any of the three could make the difference. That’s why it is absolutely crucial that the Cavaliers win both of these games. They’ve got to stay in the top-6, they cannot afford to fall into the 7-10 range. The play-in is just too unpredictable.

That’s why these next two games are absolutely make or break for the Cavaliers. They cannot afford to have a slip-up. These next two games on Thursday and Saturday could determine the season for the Cavs.