Cavaliers at Nets
The Cleveland Cavaliers are still hanging around in the Eastern Conference playoff chase and badly need to stretch their winning streak to four games when they visit the Brooklyn Nets on Friday. The Cavaliers are 15 games below .500 and their winning percentage is just below .400 but the struggles of the Atlanta Hawks and New York Knicks have allowed Cleveland to hang around. The Cavaliers are just 13-24 on the road despite winning four of their last five away games.
Brooklyn has lost back-to-back games and that has hampered the odds of landing homecourt advantage for the opening round of the playoffs. The Nets are 2 1/2 games behind the Toronto Raptors and Chicago Bulls and need to inch ahead of one of those clubs to land the home-floor edge. That would be a crucial development for Brooklyn considering it has won 11 straight home games and stands 23-11 in its home venue. The franchise record for consecutive home victories is a 13-game streak – accomplished in both the 2001-02 and 2002-03 seasons.
TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, FSN Ohio (Cleveland), YES (Brooklyn)
ABOUT THE CAVALIERS (29-44): Guard Dion Waiters knocked down the game-winning baseline jumper as time expired Wednesday to give Cleveland a dramatic 97-96 victory over Detroit. Waiters has been exceptional since Kyrie Irving was lost with a biceps injury and is averaging 24 points over the last five games. The victory over the Pistons was huge with the Cavaliers clinging to their slim postseason hopes. “You’re not out until you’re out,” Cleveland coach Mike Brown said afterward. “But for me, I’m just concentrating on, ‘Hey, let’s win the next game.’ And if we don’t win it, let’s try to play the right way and leave it on the floor.”
ABOUT THE NETS (37-33): Each of Brooklyn’s last three games has been decided in overtime – the Nets won the first one before losing the next two. The extra playing time, along with injuries to forward Andrei Kirilenko (ankle) and guard Marcus Thornton (back), have been taxing for the veteran squad. Point guard Deron Williams played more than 40 minutes in each game – he’s averaging 22.3 points during the span – while shooting guard Joe Johnson has played an average of 37. Forward Paul Pierce played 31 or more minutes in each game and it appeared to catch up in Wednesday’s loss to Charlotte when he had just eight points after scoring 24 against New Orleans two nights earlier.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. The teams have split two meetings this season but the Nets have won the past four home matchups.
2. Brooklyn F Mirza Teletovic made six 3-pointers and scored 22 points against the Bobcats for his first 20-pont outing since Feb.3.
3. Cavaliers rookie G Matthew Dellavedova scored a season-best 21 points against Detroit after having nine total points over the previous two games.