:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/7286243/20130128_lbm_sx9_127.0.jpg)
The Cavs have been pretty good lately. Three straight wins feels good. Tonight, the boys in Wine and Gold have a chance to make it a four-game win streak and go 7-7 for the month of January. Can they do it..?
(pause for suspense)
Who? Cleveland Cavaliers (13-32) vs. Golden State Warriors (27-17)
When? 7:00 PM Eastern
Where? Quicken Loans Arena -- Cleveland, OH
Where on my eyeballs? Fox Sports Ohio / NBA League Pass
Tickets? Cleveland Cavaliers tickets
I've held back for a while now. But after this recent stretch of good games and wins, I am willing to admit that I love tho Cavs team. It's true.
The Warriors are a very good team. I wouldn't say that they're contenders, but they're pretty darn good. David Lee is an all-star and Stephen Curry probably should have been an all-star. Beyond those two studs, the Warriors are also quite deep. Having guys like Jarrett Jack and Carl Landry coming off your bench is a luxury that our Cavaliers can only dream of. Last time out, Landry just torched the Cavs and Cleveland had an incredibly difficult time rebounding effectively. The additions of Marreese Speights and emergence of Tristan Thompson should help, but the Warriors still have a sizable advantage in the front court.
Last season, the Warriors and Bucks made a trade that sent Monta Ellis to Milwaukee and Andrew Bogut to Golden State. Ellis is...whatever. But Bogut is a very good defensive and solid offensive big man when he's healthy. Unfortunately for the Warriors, he's very rarely healthy. He made a comeback last night in the Warriors' win over the Toronto Raptors. However, as they ease him back from injury, it seems unlikely that Bogut will play at Cleveland on the second night of a back to back. This is good for the Cavs because they really don't have a true center who could matchup with Bogut. Honestly, I really like Bogut as a player and I hope he can stay healthy -- I just don't want him playing against the Cavs.
Furthermore, it's possible that the Warriors will be without their second all star caliber player in Stephen Curry. He has a long history of problems with ankle sprains and he turned his right ankle again last night against the Raptors. He left the game and did not return. We'll see if he is able to play, but I doubt it. Once again, I love Curry as a player -- but I don't want him to play against us.
On the Cavaliers' side of the ball, Kyrie Irving has been ridiculous lately. He won the Eastern Conference Player of the Week and could potentially be in line for Player of the Month if he has another nasty game tonight. I hate to be negative, but it seems likely that he's due for a less than spectacular game. Or maybe he'll average 35 points per game on 60% shooting for the rest of the season. I'm not going to doubt the kid.
Dion Waiters hasn't been super productive lately, but I really like the way that he's been playing. He seems to be playing within the offense and not forcing the issue. As David said to me last night, it would be cool to see both Waiters and Irving score 20 points in a game. I'm too lazy to look it up, but I don't think that has happened yet this season.
My love for Tristan Thompson is well-documented. I hope he keeps it up and has an easier time bottling up David Lee and Carl Landry this time out than he did last time these two teams faced off.
Keep doing your thing, Marreese Speights. You too, Wayne Ellington -- shoot them threes.
Fear the Sword's Fearless Prediction
If Bogut and Curry both have to sit out tonight, I'm predicting a 4th straight win for the Cavs -- 97-94. But if either or both of them plays, I am not responsible for anything I just wrote.