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| (AP Photo/Mark Duncan) |
Record: 10-11, tenth in Western Conference
Offense: 106.0 offensive rating (8th)
Defense: 106.4 defensive rating (6th)
Net Rating: -0.4 (14th)
Probable Starters PPG RPG APG
Jrue Holliday 15.8 3.4 6.8
Tyreke Evans 15.4 5.4 5.6
Luke Babbitt 3.8 1.9 0.5
Anthony Davis 25.1 10.6 1.7
Omer Asik 8.2 10.9 1.1
The Last Result
Nov. 10: Cleveland 118, New Orleans 111
The Match-Up to Watch
Kevin Love vs. Anthony Davis
Cavs fans are well aware of how big of a star Kevin Love is, and all fans of the NBA should know by now that Anthony Davis shines even brighter. This is a match-up of two of the best frontcourt players in the game right now, with Davis being touted as the future of the league. Davis has established himself as an amazing defender with range, quickness and instincts that are unparalleled among big men right now. Love, as we know, is as good of an offensive big man there is in the game. Watching these two match strength against strength will be what to watch for tonight.
The Number
19-26
That is the record of the teams that LeBron James has played on when James does not play, after the loss against Oklahoma City last night. The Cavaliers are saying that James sat out the Thunder game due to general soreness, but this early in the season, they may be inclined to give James the night off again. James is approaching 30 and has a ton of miles on his legs, and the Cavs don't play again until Monday. Perhaps giving LeBron almost a week off, just to be safe, wouldn't be a terrible idea.
The Playlist
I know this typically isn't a song people listen to to get pumped for a basketball game but you can't think about New Orleans without appreciating some classic jazz.
Why Cleveland Will Win:
The Cavs may have had their 8-game winning streak snapped last night against the Thunder but even without LeBron, the team performed very well. Holding a team with two Top-10 players in the league to only 103 points without your best player is no easy task. The Cavs have been one of the best defensive teams in the league over their last 10 games after some early struggles. And if LeBron comes back and Kyrie Irving truly is fine after last night's injury scare, the Cavs will just be too much to handle for the young Pelicans.
Why New Orleans Will Win
The Pellies may be sub-.500 but make no mistake, this team is much better than their record indicates. New Orleans has the misfortune of playing in the Southwest Division, easily the toughest division in the NBA so far this year. Whereas the Cavs have beaten up on their conference in the East this year, the Pelicans have been challenged by the West. Fifteen of the Pelicans' 21 games this year have been against Western Conference teams, and they have a record of 7-8. Despite the losing record, the Pelicans are in the top 10 in both offensive and defensive ratings, and this team is feisty. Oh, and good luck trying to contain Anthony Davis.
The Prediction
Cleveland 107, New Orleans 103
Much like the game in early November, I anticipate this game to be close. The Cavs have been rolling lately and if James is back, the Cavs have three of the best four players in this game. That fact likely won't mean much to the Pelicans, though. New Orleans is a young team that has a lot of players entering their primes and are used to going up against superior talent. This team will fight until the very end, but after the month the Cavs have been having, I don't see them dropping two in a row.
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