The offense is finally showing some promise for the Cleveland Cavaliers. They rank dead last in the NBA in scoring with just 104.1 points per game, but they seemed to have turned the corner over the last four games. They have played four straight quality opponents and went 2-2, but more importantly, they have averaged 112 points per game during that four-game stretch.
The Cavs should have another impressive offensive showing against the porous Chicago Bulls defense. They will travel to Chicago Tuesday night and and take on the Bulls at 8 p.m.
How to watch:
Tipoff is at 8 p.m. on Fox Sports Ohio, Fox Sports Go and NBA League Pass
Projected starters:
The Cavs have had to deal with a multitude of injuries throughout the season, which has led to 19 different starting lineups. Ever since the return of Larry Nance Jr., and the injury to Kevin Love, the Cavs will be trotting out the same starting five for the sixth consecutive game. That is not an achievement, but it is a testament to how much turbulence the Cavs have had to deal with this season.
Taurean Prince, Matthew Dellavedova and Love will all miss Wednesday’s game in Chicago. Considering this is the last game before the trade deadline, which is March 25, this could be the last time a few players suit up for the Cavs. Andre Drummond is 100% gone, and it seems a buyout is inevitable at this point. There are also rumors swirling around that JaVale McGee, Cedi Osman and Prince could be on the move.
More importantly there is a game to be played on Wednesday, and Isaac Okoro will once again draw an extremely tough matchup in Zach Lavine. However, the Cavs big men have a chance to neutralize the Bulls big men, so this should be an interesting matchup.
Cavs: Darius Garland / Collin Sexton / Isaac Okoro / Larry Nance Jr. / Jarrett Allen
Bulls: Tomas Satoransky / Zach Lavine / Patrick Williams / Thaddeus Young / Lauri Markkanen
Things to watch for:
· Jarrett Allen needs to return to being dominate force. When the Cavs first acquired Allen, he was wreaking havoc on opposing defenses. In the month of February, he averaged 16.1 points per game, 10.8 rebounds per game, two blocks per game and shot 64.3% from the field. Those numbers have dipped dramatically in March, and the Cavs need him to dominate the paint on a nightly basis. In March, he averages 11 points per game, 10.7 rebounds per game, 1.3 blocks per game and shoots 53.8% from the field. He takes two shots less per game in March, and is not being assertive enough. For the Cavs to build some momentum and make a push for the play-in tournament, Allen needs to dominant the paint.
· Playoff Implications. The Bulls currently sit as the ninth seed in the Eastern Conference, 3.5 games ahead of the Cavs. This could be a crucial game as the season winds down and teams are fighting to make the play-in tournament. There is not much separation from the seven seed to the 13 seed in the East. Every single game against Eastern Conference opponents has playoff implications at this point, so the Cavs have to rely on their young core to lead them down the stretch. If Love was healthy this could be a different story, and the Cavs could have a few more wins under their belt. The Cavs understand the next man up mentality, and their bench has been playing well, whether it’s Lamar Stevens, McGee or Dean Wade.
· Sexland has to carry the team. The Cavs will only go as far as Darius Garland and Collin Sexton will take them. At the beginning of their tenure together, they were questions how well they actually fit together, but they continue to prove doubters wrong. Obviously they have some bad moments and struggle at times, but they are still extremely young. They have shown flashes of brilliance together, and the more chemistry they build with one another, the better they will get. Sexton can flat out score and go off on any given night, while Garland is becoming an amazing pick and roll point guard, with the ability to shoot the lights out. This duo will be around for years to come, and they will have to continue to put the team on their back if they want a chance to win.