Breaking down the Cavs’ play-in odds for each seed

Breaking down the Cavs’ play-in odds: Can they fall to 10th?

Currently, again per PlayoffStatus.com, the Cavs have just a four percent chance of falling to tenth and being forced to win two consecutive road games to make it into the playoff field. That number seems too low for a scenario that is filling the stomachs of many Cleveland fans with dread.

We outlined last week the possibility of a “worst-case scenario” for the Cavs, and a couple of Charlotte losses plus the beatdown of the New York Knicks this past weekend have helped them avoid that. Unfortunately, the possibility of falling to tenth is still alive and well.

If Cleveland loses its last two games (it will be favored to do just that unless the Bucks sit multiple stars) they will likely fall behind both Brooklyn and Atlanta. The Charlotte Hornets are 2.5 games back of the Cavs, so if they win out they will end up tied with Cleveland for that ninth spot.

The two teams played four times this season and split the season series. The tiebreaker will end up at Conference record, and if the Hornets do win out and the Cavs lose out that will be secured by Charlotte, therefore giving them homecourt in the 9-10 game with the Cavs.

That may be a blessing in disguise, as the Cavs won both games in Charlotte and lost both in Cleveland. Either way, to win any amount of games and get into the playoffs the Cavs likely need one or both of their injured big men back, and even then it will be an uphill climb against some talented teams in a competitive Eastern Conference play-in tounrnament.