With three days left in the month of February, the Cleveland Cavaliers are 38-25, good for fourth in the Eastern Conference (and sixth in the league overall). They are three games behind the Philadelphia 76ers for third place in the standings, with the Milwaukee Bucks and Boston Celtics likely too far ahead to catch.
The past week might lead Cavs fans to think they can’t catch Philly, either, and cause them to start looking down at the teams chasing Cleveland. That’s fair, but a three-game losing streak after winning seven-straight still balances out to a strong 7-3 record over their past ten games. Catching Philly is possible; here is why they can do it.
Reason No. 1: The Cavaliers have the easier schedule
The Cleveland Cavaliers have just 19 games remaining, the fewest in the entire league. That allows their final schedule to be spaced out, giving this team time to rest between games and even go through some practices to continue to sharpen their strategy. It should reduce wear and tear and give the Cavs the best shot at being healthy for the playoffs.
In addition, the teams remaining for the Cavs are among the easiest left leaguewide. They currently have the third-easiest remaining schedule, with seven games left against the league’s five-worst teams. The 76ers, on the other hand, have the second-hardest remaining schedule, with 23 games crammed into the rest of the schedule (tied for first in the league). Factor in an easy travel schedule, and it all adds up to a huge advantage for Cleveland down the stretch.