| 2009/2010 NBA Regular Season | ||
|---|---|---|
 | VS |  |
| 0-0 | 0-0 | |
| April 17, 2010 | ||
| Quicken Loans Arena | ||
| 3:00PM et | ||
| Radio - WTAM 1100 / ABC | ||
| Probable starters: | ||
| Derrick Rose | PG | Mo Williams |
| Kirk Hinrich | SG | Anthony Parker |
| Luol Deng | SF | LeBron James |
| Taj Gibson | PF | Antawn Jamison |
| Joakim Noah | C | Shaquille O'Neal |
3-in the Key
1. Cleveland finished the 2009-10 NBA season with the best overall record at 61-21 (.744), best home record at 35-6 (.854) and was tied with Boston for the second-best road record (26-15, .634). The Cavaliers are the first team since the Chicago Bulls (1995-96 and 1996-97) and only the fifth team in the last 19 seasons to finish with sole possession of the best regular season record in consecutive years. The team has won 60-games for the second time in franchise history and became only the ninth different franchise (done 18 times) in NBA history to have back-to-back 60 win seasons
2. Cleveland finished the season at home with the league's best home record and became only the 14th instance in NBA history and seventh time (five teams) in the last 35 years that a team has held sole possession of the best home record in consecutive seasons. Since the start of the 2008-09 season, the Cavaliers are an NBA-best 74-8 (.902) at home and that is tied for 11th best all-time. Since the 2005-06 season, the Cavs are 162-43 (.790) at home, which trails only the Dallas Mavericks (164-41, .800 / 28- 13 this year) for best home record over the last five seasons. The team is 43-25 (.632) all-time at home in the playoffs
3. Entering the playoffs, Cleveland will look to defeat Chicago for the first time in six playoff matchups. The Cavaliers and Bulls were tied in their season series 2-2. This series will pit two of the best defensive and rebounding teams in the NBA during the season. Chicago and Cleveland are tied at .442 in opponent field goal percentage and rank third and fourth, respectively. The Bulls averaged a league-high 44.5 rpg while the Cavaliers ranked 11th at 42.5 rpg, but Cleveland gives up the second fewest rebounds at 38.5 per game in the league. That led the team to hold the largest rebounding differential at (42.5 own - 38.5 opp = +4.0 rpg) and lead the league with 57 of 82 (.695) games with a rebounding advantage. The Cavaliers ranked second in allowing only 9.7 opponent offensive rebounds per game and was tied for second in fewest second chance points allowed at 11.7.