Cavaliers vs. Pelicans game preview, start time, TV information

The Cavaliers have been riding a hot streak, but the Pelicans have certainly turned their season around and won’t be an easy out on Monday night.

Who: Cleveland Cavaliers vs. New Orleans Pelicans

When: 7 p.m. EST

Where: Quicken Loans Arena - Cleveland, Ohio

TV: Fox Sports Ohio, NBA League Pass

Enemy Blog: The Bird Writes

Music: Coney Island - Good Old War

Keys to the game

• There’s no clarity as to whether Kyrie Irving will suit up tonight for the Cavaliers. He missed the game on New Year’s Eve against the Hornets with hamstring issues, so it’ll be interesting to see if he’ll be ready to go against New Orleans.
• The Pelicans aren’t the depressing disaster they looked like at the beginning of the season. Since dropping their first eight games of the year, they’ve gone 14-13. The return of Jrue Holiday has done wonders for New Orlean’s rotation, and Tim Frazier has turned into a particularly useful piece as well. This team is still all about Anthony Davis, though, and he’ll be a tough matchup tonight.
• Even if Kyrie Irving suits up, it’ll be interesting to see if Kay Felder gets more minutes. He got real rotational minutes against the Hornets and played really well running the spread pick and roll. I’ve mentioned that, even if Felder struggles, it’s probably worth giving him 10 or so minutes a night to help expand the Cavaliers rotation and keep the starters’ minutes down.
• Outside of the end-of-rotation guys for the Cavaliers, it is kind of hard to find much to talk about with the Cavaliers. Everybody knows exactly who they are, and everybody is settled into their role. This is the best team in the East, and it’s pretty obvious they’re not going to be challenged by anyone if they’re motivated.

Fear the Sword’s Fearless Prediction

The Pelicans aren’t a disaster like they looked at the beginning of the season, but they aren’t on the Cavaliers level, especially if Kyrie Irving suits up.

Cavs 122, Pelicans 107.