The Cleveland Cavaliers absolutely did not count on to win 70 video games this season as a result of, properly, it will be irresponsible for any staff to enter a season anticipating to take action. But as not too long ago as Sunday morning, Cleveland had a good shot at doing so. Getting into Sunday’s matchup with the Orlando Magic at 56-10 and driving a 16-game successful streak, the Cavaliers had an exterior shot at reaching that historic milestone. All they wanted to do was end the 12 months at 14-2, and with a number of 15-game streaks underneath their belt, that was attainable.
Winnable video games in opposition to depleted opponents just like the Magic have been a catalyst for his or her pursuit. With a comparatively simple schedule, Cleveland had a transparent path. As an alternative, Orlando surprised the Cavaliers with a 13-point halftime comeback to finish their 16-game successful streak Sunday and sure put an finish to any hope they may have had for 70 wins.
Mathematically, after all, it is nonetheless in play. The Cavaliers have to win 14 video games and have 15 left. However there is not any inherent benefit to successful 70 video games. The one actual objective is making certain home-court benefit over the Thunder in a potential NBA Finals matchup. Oklahoma Metropolis presently sits at 12 losses, so Cleveland is incentivized to maintain successful. Nonetheless, Cleveland has a significant benefit within the convention report tiebreaker, so it functionally holds a two-game lead. Assuming the Thunder lose one other recreation or two not less than, Cleveland will be capable of clinch the league’s greatest report with out pushing for 70 wins.
With out that want, Cleveland has no actual purpose to go all out for the very best potential win whole. The precedence, it appears, is to make sure correct well being going into the playoffs. Evan Mobley missed Sunday’s recreation. Donovan Mitchell missed the 2 video games prior, and position gamers are out and in of the lineup. Well being, not win whole, is what issues right here. It is exhausting to go 14-1 throughout any stretch with out attempting. That the Cavaliers shut their season with two of their last three video games in opposition to a Pacers staff that could be enjoying for seeding will make it that a lot more durable.
Nonetheless, it is not as if the Cavaliers wanted a seventieth win to validate the outstanding season they’ve had. They’ve already performed greater than sufficient to name this one of the best common season in franchise historical past. Even with this streak snapped, they’re going to finish the season with separate successful streaks of 16, 15 and 12 video games. That is 43 mixed video games throughout three streaks that characterize greater than half of the season.
The larger objective, after all, comes within the playoffs. The job is not to win 70 video games from October via April. It is to win 16 from April to June. That pursuit begins subsequent month, and irrespective of what number of video games they win between from time to time, the Cavaliers are in nice to form to chase the victories that really matter.
