Bobcats at Cavaliers
THE STORY: The Charlotte Bobcats are running out of time to make the playoffs. They trail the Indiana Pacers for the final playoff spot by two games with six to play, plus they don’t own the tiebreaker. That makes every remaining game critical. The Cavaliers’ playoff hopes ended long ago. Now they’re the first team in NBA history, according to Elias Sports Bureau, to go from 60 wins to 60 losses in consecutive seasons.
TV: 7 p.m., ET, Fox Sports Ohio, SportSouth
ABOUT THE CAVALIERS (15-61): The season has been ravaged by injuries, many of which need surgery to repair. Anderson Varejao (ankle) and Antawn Jamison (pinkie) have already had season-ending surgeries, while Ramon Sessions (hernia), Samardo Samuels (wrist) and Semih Erden (groin and shoulder) will have surgery to repair their injuries shortly after the season ends. Samuels returned to the lineup Sunday and will play the final few days with a torn ligament in his wrist. Samuels had five turnovers and had no touch on his shots against the New York Knicks – one of his free throws he banked off the backboard. In a glimmer of good news though, Erden returned to practice Monday for the first time since he played 11 minutes for the Cavs on March 8. It remains the only game Erden has played since coming to the Cavs from Boston in a deadline deal. Cavs coach Byron Scott still isn’t sure Erden will play in another game before the season ends, but his appearance at practice on Tuesday is certainly a step in the right direction.
ABOUT THE BOBCATS (32-44): Charlotte has dropped its last two games, and with remaining games still against Miami, Orlando and Atlanta, the Bobcats’ postseason hopes remain on life support. Their last victory was last week against these same Cavs when they pounded the ball inside to Boris Diaw on the post. Diaw took advantage of the Cavs’ thin numbers up front and foul trouble to their starting bigs to finish with 26 points and 11 assists. Like the Cavaliers the Bobcats have injury issues of their own. Eduardo Najera joined Stephen Jackson, Shaun Livingston and Tyrus Thomas on the injured list for Sunday’s loss to the Washington Wizards. The Bobcats have dropped five of their last six road games, but they’re one road victory in that stretch was awfully impressive – at Boston.
WHO'S HOT/WHO’S NOT: Cavs point guard Baron Davis scored 11 consecutive points during the second quarter in Sunday’s loss to the Knicks, finishing with 22. It was his highest scoring output since joining the Cavs at the trade deadline. Sharpshooter Daniel Gibson continues to struggle at the 3-point line, shooting 26 percent (6 of 23) over his last six games. Charlotte reserve Matt Carroll exploded for a season-high 26 points in Sunday’s loss at Washington. He has scored more than 12 points in only one other game this season. Kwame Brown was invisible in the loss, going scoreless and grabbing three rebounds in 32 minutes. He attempted just two shots on the night.
KEY STATISTIC: The Cavs rank 26th in the league in scoring, averaging 96.2 points per game. The Bobcats are even worse, ranking 29th at 92.8 points.
SEASON SERIES: The Bobcats lead 2-0. This is the final meeting of the season.
KEY INJURIES: CLEVELAND: C Semih Erden (shoulder). CHARLOTTE: G Shaun Livingston (tailbone); F Eduardo Najera (back spasms); G Stephen Jackson (hamstring); F Tyrus Thomas (knee).
LAST WORD: “Not in my wildest dreams. Didn't think we would have this type of season, didn't think we'd have the injuries that we've had and didn't see some of the turnovers in personnel, either.” – Coach Byron Scott, on the Cavs becoming the first NBA team in history to lose 60 games a season after winning 60 games.