The Cleveland Cavaliers have 17 games left in the regular season before the NBA postseason starts. Currently, the team sits in the fourth spot in the Eastern Conference Standings with a 39-26 record after losing to the Boston Celtics last night. They have a 1.5-game lead on the New York Knicks. If the Cavs can continue to play well, they should stay close to that current seeding and have a chance at hosting a playoff series to start the postseason.
Unlike a year ago, I believe the Cavaliers can continue to win down the line more than they did before when they faded away badly. This season they have a new, stud player and veteran Donovan Mitchell playing for them and they have a more confident big man in Evan Mobley in his second season learning how to be an even more dominating presence on the court. All this will hopefully spell victories down the stretch.
With that let’s take a look at the rest of the Wine and Gold’s schedule and make some predictions. Last season they finished with a record of 44-38 and just missed making the postseason. They will be better than that in a big way.
Also, when you walk through these predictions, you’ll note that the Cavaliers have four teams that they play back-to-back games with on the away courts of the Miami Heat, Charlotte Hornets, Brooklyn Nets and Orlando Magic. Why the NBA scheduling gurus planned this for Cleveland to have four mini-series on the road just seems a bit strange.
March 4 – Home game vs. Detroit Pistons
Prediction: Win
The Detroit Pistons are lousy and are at the bottom of the East.
Cleveland may not be at the top of their game after playing against the high-powered Celtics on Wednesday, but they will get by the Pistons.
March 6 – Home game vs. Boston Celtics
Prediction: Loss
The Celtics are just better than the Cavs this season and despite this being a home game for the Wine and Gold they still lose. They left all their best efforts on the Celtics’ home floor earlier in the week and just don’t have it in this likely blowout loss. Cleveland did defeat Boston twice in close games early in the year, but the Celtics are just a much better team right now.
March 8 – Away game at Miami Heat
Prediction: Win
After being embarrassed by the Celtics a couple days earlier, Mitchell and Cleveland rebound and decide to play basketball on the road against the Miami Heat.
March 10 – Away game at Miami Heat
Prediction: Loss
Back to Miami for one more and the Heat get the win after a poor effort by the Cavs. Too much South Beaching plays into the lackluster efforts.
March 12 – Away game at Charlotte Hornets
Prediction: Loss
Against the Charlotte Hornets, Cleveland gets off to another slow start and can’t overcome that in another loss as the fans start to worry.
March 14 – Away game at Charlotte Hornets
Prediction: Win
The Cavaliers figure that they are the better team overall when they play Charlotte again and win by 20 points.
March 15 – Home game vs. Philadelphia 76ers
Prediction: Win
It’s the second leg of a back-to-back when Cleveland plays Philly in an important home game and the Cavs play well as if they belong in the playoffs again.
March 17 – Home game vs. Washington Wizards
Prediction: Win
Mobley and the Wine and Gold continue that winning feeling when they beat up the Washington Wizards in a win at home. The Cavaliers are starting to roll.
March 21 – Away game at Brooklyn Nets
Prediction: Win
The Nets are fading, and Cleveland is winning, and they continue that on the road.
March 22 – Away game at Brooklyn Nets
Prediction: Loss
This is one where the Cavs try to get a little bit too cute and lose one in which they shouldn’t have.
March 26 – Home game vs. Houston Rockets
Prediction: Win
The Rockets come to town and Cleveland finds that winning feeling again.
March 28 – Away game at Atlanta Hawks
Prediction: Loss
Even though the Atlanta Hawks are a bad basketball team this season, it doesn’t matter as Cleveland loses in Atlanta again.
March 31 – Home game vs. New York Knicks
Prediction: Win
The New York Knicks come to Cleveland trying to catch Cavs but the Wine and Gold hold off the Knicks late for the victory.
April 2 – Home game vs. Indiana Pacers
Prediction: Win
Cleveland plays the Pacers well and they win again as they start getting back on track as the end of the regular season is near.
April 4 – Away game at Orlando Magic
Prediction: Win
The Magic have packed it in and are thinking of working at Walt Disney World in the offseason and the Cavs win by 20 points in a blowout.
April 6 – Away game at Orlando Magic
Prediction: Win
Orlando felt embarrassed in the previous game, but Cleveland holds off the Magic late. Cleveland has now won four games in a row
April 9 Home game vs. Charlotte Hornets
Prediction: Win
In the final home game, the starters for the Cavaliers get things rolling early and the team rolls one last time in a big home win. Cleveland gets a home series next in the playoffs. A great season indeed!