Cavs News: Nightmare matchup, drafting stars, Allen’s improvement
The Cleveland Cavaliers are heading for the NBA playoffs, and the question now before them is which seed they will have and who their opponents will be. Whether or not the Cavs have the chance to manipulate the final standings to set up a preferred opponent, it’s a smart move to consider how they match up against every other top team in the Eastern Conference.
The Cavs don’t fear the Miami Heat, nor should they fear the defanged Brooklyn Nets. The New York Knicks have been playing well lately (two-game losing streak notwithstanding) but the Cavs match up well against them. They are 3-1 against the Boston Celtics, so while the Celtics would and should be favored in a series against the Cavs, they aren’t a nightmare matchup.
Bleacher Report’s Gregg Swartz picked the nightmare matchup for each playoff team, and for the Cavaliers he chose the Milwaukee Bucks. While the Cavs are 2-2 against Milwaukee this season, Swartz points out that they are 1-2 against Giannis Antetokounmpo. The former MVP has obliterated the Cavs this season, averaging 33 points, 11.7 rebounds and six assists against them.
Are the Bucks the most formidable East foe? The Celtics are right there on team quality, but are dropped on account of the Cavs having the 3-1 edge. The Philadelphia 76ers are wildly inconsistent. It does look like Giannis and the Bucks are the worst matchup.
And yet, the Cavs are 2-2 against them. 3-1 against the Boston Celtics. 1-1 against the Philadelphia 76ers. They can beat anyone and aren’t afraid of the moment. Pick against them at your own peril.
More Cavs news
The Cavaliers might not have a first-round pick in June’s draft, but they will have a mid-2nd round pick to utilize in shoring up their bench. Which college stars playing now could be potential picks in that range in the NBA Draft? We dug into the topic as March Madness picks up steam.
While the Cavs have four star players, all of them have areas where they need to grow. Also on the website, Caleb Crowley highlights two areas of improvement for Jarrett Allen that could help him lift the Cavs into the NBA’s upper echelon.
NBA news
Kevin Durant was all set to make his home debut for the Phoenix Suns on Wednesday night when he rolled his ankle during warm-ups. While there was plenty of speculative chatter about the nature and length of the injury, yesterday it was officially announced that he would miss 2-3 weeks with the injury, placing his return a week or two before the end of the regular season.
In NBA scores, the Milwaukee Bucks picked up a hard-fought win over the Brooklyn Nets, solidifying their spot on top of the Eastern Conference. The New York Knicks were playing out in Sacramento and lost a close game themselves, giving the Cavs a three-game cushion over them. With 14 games to go it’s increasingly improbable that Cleveland will drop below the fourth seed.
dark. Next. 2021 NBA Redraft: Does Evan Mobley go first overall this time?
Coming up: The Cavaliers will play the Heat again tonight, looking to polish off the season series with another win.