Irving's Big Night Not Enough in Loss to Houston

Photo by David Maxwell/Getty Images

The Cleveland Cavaliers (19-17) lost their third straight game, falling to the Houston Rockets at home, 105-93.

Kyrie Irving made his return after a one game absence and did not disappoint, putting up a season-high 38 points and dazzling the crowd with an array of moves that left the Rockets defenders in the dust. Irving virtually did it all for the Cavaliers, as the rest of his teammates combined for 55 points and 33.9 percent shooting.

The one-man show from Irving looked as if it would be enough, as the short-handed Cavaliers lead the Rockets 74-73 after three quarters.

However, the depth of Houston and the lack thereof for Cleveland showed in the final period. 18 of the 32 points scored by the Rockets came from their bench, while the Cavaliers did not get a single point form their bench, a big reason they were out-scored 32-19 in the fourth.

It was also Dwight Howard who showed his prowess as one of the best players at his position, dominating the Cavaliers on both ends in the fourth. He scored nine points and frustrated the Cavaliers on the glass, grabbing eight of his game-high 19 rebounds in the final period. He also was a force on the defensive end, protecting the paint and forcing the Cavaliers into tough shots. Although he didn't record in the block in the fourth, he was a factor in limiting Cleveland to 19 points and 35.3 percent shooting.

James Harden, who is having an MVP-type season, struggled with both shooting from the field (as he has all season) turnovers (finished with seven). He didn't put up his normal scoring numbers, but was effective in other parts of the game, grabbing seven rebounds and dishing out a game-high nine assists. His passing ability was a main reason as to why Houston finished with six players whom scored double figures.

This was the last home game the Cavaliers will have before they head out west for a five-game road trip, in which they face three of the top eight teams in the Western Conference. With LeBron likely to miss at least three of those games, could the Cavaliers be below .500 when he returns?

Three Things:

1. Can we please be healthy?

Of the 13 guys on the current Cavaliers roster, only one player has managed to play all 36 games, and that is Tristan Thompson. LeBron is in the middle of rehabbing his back and leg, Kyrie just came back after nursing a bad knee and Love has battled injuries in seemingly every game. When they are healthy, the Cavaliers are a really good team. When they're not, as are a lot of teams (except the San Antonio Spurs), they are not that good. Just look at the last eight games, in which they have lost seven of them. They're forced to play guys like Matthew Dellavedova and A.J. Price in roles that do not suit them. Once they are finally at full strength, they will be a dangerous team.

2. David Griffin is much better than Chris Grant.

I will say this about Grant: he did flip Mo Williams into Baron Davis and Kyrie Irving, one of the biggest steals of the last couple of years. But outside of that, there wasn't much else that he did that was a benefit for the Cavaliers. Griffin, however, has seemingly done everything right in less than a year he has been on the job. His recent moves of acquiring Iman Shumpert, J.R. Smith and Timofey Mozgov are a big reason to solidify the statement (and the Kevin Love trade, but for now, let's just think in-season). He acquired all three things the Cavaliers needed without giving up too much. It's too early to say if this was a win, but on paper it is exactly that.

3. Should we be concerned?

NO. Seriously, stop worrying.

Statline of the Night:

Dwight Howard: 17 points, 19 rebounds (10 offensive), 6-of-13 shooting.

Howard played big in the fourth quarter, nearly netting a double-double in that period alone (nine points and eight rebounds). His ability to clean the glass, specifically in the fourth quarter, helped the Rockets get the road win in Cleveland.

What's Next:

Jan. 9, on the road against the Golden State Warriors, 10:30 p.m.

Love Shines in Offensive Struggle

Photo by Brock Smith/NBAE via Getty Images

In their first game of two-week stretch without their star player LeBron James, the Cleveland Cavaliers (19-14) ended a three-game losing streak, defeating the Charlotte Hornets in an offensive struggle, 91-87.

The final score doesn't do enough justice to how bad of a game this was, as both teams struggled mightily from all aspects of the court. Both teams shot below 40 percent from the field, 30 percent on 3-pointers and 70 percent from the free throw line. The vanguard of this struggle for both sides were led by the back courts; Kyrie Irving, Dion Waiters and Matthew Dellavedova for Cleveland; Kemba Walker, Gerald Henderson and Gary Neal for Charlotte. Each trio had more shots than points (43 points on 51 shots for Cleveland, 35 points on 49 shots for Charlotte) and seemingly fired up brick after brick.

However for Cleveland, they did have Kevin Love back and playing the way he did in the beginning of the year. Love had 27 points (9-of-15 shooting) and five rebounds, and seemingly looked like the only player that provided any consistency, along with his front-court partner Tristan Thompson, who had another double-double with 13 points and a game-high 14 rebounds.

Three Things:

1. Kevin Love, he's (kind of) alive!

For seemingly the entire season, one of the main story lines this season has been getting Love involved in the offense. Tonight, he was finally given his touches and took advantage, scoring 25 points on 8-of-14 shooting. But 23 of those points and 12 of those shots came in the first three quarters, again showing a theme of Love getting no touches in the fourth quarter. It's a good sign to see Love have a bounce back game, but it still is discouraging that they refuse to go to him in crunch time. 

2. Are there serious concerns with the offense?

For all the talk of how great of an offensive-minded genius he was overseas, head coach David Blatt has yet to translate that to the NBA. Although they rank fourth in the league in offensive rating, they have struggled mightily. In three of the last four games, the Cavaliers have shot below 40 percent from the field and haven't scored more than 91 points in those games. Excuses could be made that they were without LeBron James, but they still were with two other All-Stars in Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love. Even with them, it was mostly isolation and pick-and-rolls, with very few off-ball screens and cuts towards the baskets. Injuries haven't helped the cause, but these poor shooting percentages are certainly something to keep an eye on going forward. 

3. Could the Cavaliers be .500 when LeBron comes back?

He's projected to be out for two weeks, meaning he'll miss eight games if that holds true. After tonight's win, they are 19-14, meaning they would have to go 2-6 over that stretch to be .500 (or at least close to it). In that eight game stretch, they play five of the top eight teams in the West, with three of them coming on the road. They do play Philadelphia and the Lakers, two very winnable games, but that looks like it. With they way they played tonight, it's not hard to see why there isn't a good chance that this could happen.

Statline of the Night:

Tristan Thompson: 14 points, 14 rebounds, 3 blocks, 5-of-10 shooting.

Although Love had the better game, Thompson was a much bigger impact. He provided the interior presence that the Cavaliers have desperately needed, both cleaning the glass and protecting the paint.

What's next:

Jan. 4, at home against the Dallas Mavericks, 1:00 p.m.

Cavs Get Beat With The Same Story

Photo by David Liam Kyle/NBAE via Getty Images

It wasn't a great day to be a Cleveland fan. After a Browns loss earlier in the day, the Cavaliers doubled everyone in Northeast Ohio's problems by getting badly beaten at home to the Detroit Pistons, 103-80, and doing so in what has been the formula to their games this season.

Let's go through the Cleveland Cavaliers game checklist:

Have a big lead after one quarter?

Cleveland came out with a ton of energy on both sides, shooting 52.4 percent from the field and limiting Detroit to just 16 points and taking a 12-point lead into the second quarter. Check.

Lose that big lead heading into halftime?

With a lead that was a big as 15 points in the first quarter, it was completely vanished heading into the break, trailing 50-47 after two quarters. Detroit would out-scored Cleveland 33-19 in the second quarter, including a 17-2 run by the Pistons. Check.

Let the game get out of hand in the third quarter?

The Cavaliers compounded a bad second quarter with a bad third quarter, having a three-point deficit stretch all the way out to 16, thanks in part to a 12-point quarter from Brandon Jennings, who seemingly hit everything he put up and looked as if he was donning an Oak Hill jersey instead of the current Pistons one he had on. Check.

Lose the game and consider it their worst loss of the season?

The Pistons had the fourth-worst record in the league, and they came into Cleveland and beat them by 23, so yeah, Check.

The first two have been the formula for nearly every game, and held true again tonight. The last two were virtually mirror images of the game against Atlanta.

Despite the formula that the Cavaliers have seemingly produced every night, it didn't help that Detroit had a franchise night, hitting a franchise record 17 3-pointers. What hurts even more surprising is that they are one of the worst 3-point shooting teams in the league. Combine that with their own terrible shooting night (37.8 percent from the field) and LeBron James' worst performance of the year, there wasn't much the Cavaliers could do to win this game.

Three Things:

1. The Cavaliers needed depth, BAD.

There's no secret to this, but it was again evident in tonight's game. With Anderson Varejao out for the year and Kyrie Irving this game, they were forced to rely heavily on guys like Matthew Dellavedova, A.J. Price and Brenden Haywood, which would hurt them mightily. All three guys made minimal impact and couldn't help out a struggling LeBron. The question isn't if they will make a move, it's when and how soon will they do it? By all means, it could be very soon.

2. Is LeBron hurting the Cavs?

Before I say anything, I wanna make this clear: I WANT LEBRON ON THE CAVS. Now that I got that off my chest, there are some serious concerns with him on his attitude and his energy. He gets lazy on defense, makes some very questionable statements after losses and at times looks like he is minimizing head coach David Blatt. Of course, because he is who he is, he can get away with these things, but it doesn't help any other of the younger guys. Then honeymoon is over for LeBron and the Cavaliers, and he needs to start being accountable for his actions, or they will continue to have these type of outings.

3. The Pistons could be last year's Raptors team.

Just look at the similarities; both teams got rid of their best player (Rudy Gay and Josh Smith), who both happen to be very polarizing players and then look immediately better after the trade. The Raptors were 6-14 when they traded Gay, but would finish with the third seed in the Eastern Conference. The Pistons have one two straight since letting go of Smith, including tonight's beat down of the Cavaliers. Of course it's only been two games, but with a mixture of a good coach and solid talent, they will have a better record heading into the future.

Statline of the Game:

Andre Drummond: 16 points, 17 rebounds, 5 blocks, 8-of-12 shooting.

¯\_(ツ)_/

What's Next:

Dec. 30, on the road against the Atlanta Hawks, 7:30 p.m.

LeBron gets spoiled in his return to Miami

Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images

For the second time this year, LeBron James returned to a place who used to call home. The first one happened opening night, when he and the rest of the Cleveland Cavaliers fell flat to an abysmal New York Knicks team at home. This time, James was coming back to play his first game in Miami since he joined the Cavaliers this past summer. The result was no different, with the Cavaliers falling to the Heat, 101-90.

Despite trailing by as many as 17 points early in the second quarter, the Cavaliers had a chance to win this game. After Kyrie Irving hit a lay-up to tie the game at 80, the offense went ice cold. For the next six minutes after that lay-up, the Cavaliers would only score one point, while Miami was able to score 10, giving them a 9-point lead with four minutes left in the fourth. Cleveland would eventually cut it back down to three, but Miami would pull away from there.

Unlike the first "homecoming" game, James actually played one of his better games, putting up 30 points, 8 assists and 4 rebounds, while shooting an efficient 9-of-16 from the field. He did get help from Irving, who scored 25 points, including 17 points in the first half, a big reason they only trailed by 13 heading into the break. But outside of those two, the Cavaliers couldn't get anything going on the offensive end.

It wasn't just the offense that hurt the Cavaliers, it was a former Cavalier that put up his best game of the year in his first game against the team he was traded to last year: Luol Deng. Deng, who struggled in his 40 games with Cleveland last year, had 25 points, 8 rebounds, 8 assists, and a couple of big plays down the stretch for the Heat. After Mike Miller drained a 3-pointer to bring the Cavaliers deficit to three with three minutes remaining, Deng was able to find a wide open Danny Granger for a three of his own, all while Deng was falling out of bounds on the baseline.

The Cavaliers got dominated on all aspects of the game, getting out-rebounded, out-assisted and out-shot by the Heat, while also committing more turnovers than Miami. LeBron said that they weren't that good right now, and that could be the case, but not really. A lot needs to be worked on if they want to be the team everyone predicted them to be, but it is December, meaning they have plenty of time to get things figured out.

Three Things:

1. Give it time, seriously.

It's hard to tell any Cleveland fan to be patient, especially when you have the likes of LeBron, Kyrie and Love, but that is exactly what needs to be said. The playoffs are four months away, and I'd say this team is not even 75 percent of what they will be come April. Trades will be made and rotations will be figured out by that point, so it's no reason to stress over a loss like this, considering it was the first game without Anderson Varajao. The Heat had all the reason to be motivated for this game, and vice versa for the Cavaliers. Seriously, we need to stop making judgements after one games.

2. Kevin Love?

He's had a few subpar games this year, but tonight may have been his worst in a Cavaliers uniform. His stats weren't atrocious (12 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists), but his body language and defensive effort were no where to be seen . Love constantly hung his head when he didn't get the ball, leading to a lack of effort on the other end, which in turn led to LeBron yelling at him after a lackluster defensive play in the second quarter. Speaking of LeBron, he made comments on how he needed to have a better attitude on the court, and it has worked for him. Does Love need to make the same type of effort? Well, it can't get much worse for him from here.

3. Defensive Dion.

You could write a book on everything that has been said about Dion Waiters on everything he seemingly does. He takes poor shots, he's overrated, he doesn't know his role, let's trade hime for nothing, etc. But if there's one thing he showed tonight that many people weren't talking about was his defense. After Dwyane Wade torched Mike Miller 24 points in the first half, head coach David Blatt switched Waiters on to Wade and it worked wonders. Wade shot 2-of-12 in the second half with Waiters draped all over him, including an impressive two possession span where Waiters stripped and blocked Wade on back-to-back possessions in the fourth, leading to five Cavalier points. It's only one game, but it was a great sign for Waiters in his progression towards becoming the defender the Cavaliers need.

Statline of the Game:

Luol Deng: 25 points, 8 rebounds, 8 assists, 11-of-16 shooting.

Luol Deng had 25 points, 8 rebounds and 8 assists vs Cavs, the 1st time in 705 career games he reached those benchmarks.
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) December 26, 2014

Yeah.

What's Next:

Dec. 21, on the road against the Orlando Magic, 7 p.m.

Offense sputters with no LeBron, Cavs fall to the Thunder

(AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)

Missing LeBron James, the Cleveland Cavaliers were unable take one from the Oklahoma City Thunder, losing 103-94.

The offense struggled to get anything going without their point guard LeBron James (he leads the team in assists and has the ball in his hands more than Kyrie Irving), the Cavaliers struggled on offense. They shot 36.5 percent from the field, thanks in part to the Thunder defense, which had 11 blocks tonight. With the tough interior defense that they possessed, the other two of the big three couldn't get things going. Love was blocked twice by Serge Ibaka and was forced to shoot 5-of-13 from the field.

Irving also struggled to get a rhythm going, shooting 7-of-21and failed to provide the offensive firepower that some expected he would with LeBron out. But it wasn't his play that was the worst of his night, it was watching him clutch his knee after colliding knees with Russell Westbrook. Based on Irving's injury history, it looked like things were heading towards the wrong side of it looked like on replay. But luckily, Irving calmed Cavalier fans down by coming out and playing in the second half.

As for the Thunder, it was Westbrook's night to be had. He had 26 points, 8 assists and 7 rebounds, a typical Westbrook night, but his energy helped the Thunder pull away in this game after trailing by as much as 12 points early in the game. His two fast break dunks in the second half helped shift the momentum towards Oklahoma City, ending the Cavaliers eight-game winning streak.

Despite the loss, this almost feels like win. The Cavaliers lost to one of the best teams in the league, at home, by nine points. Irving also went down with what looked like a horrible injury, but came back and played almost the entire second half. Oh, and they did this without LeBron James.

Three Things:

1. The Cavaliers are not good without LeBron.

But we're not that bad. Being without the best player on their team, you'd expect a marginal drop-off in their production. That was the case tonight, but that had more to do with playing a really good basketball team (with two of the five best players in the league on their team). The final score may indicate one thing, but it doesn't indicate everything. The ball movement on offense and the defense did an okay job of containing the Thunder offense. Shot selection wasn't terrible either, despite the 00 percent shooting. I wouldn't expect the Cavaliers to be playing too many games without LeBron, but when this happens again in the future, don't expect an outing like tonight.

2. Tristan and Dion are becoming the players we expected them to be.

Over the last three games, these two have been finding their strides and doing so on a consistent basis. Nobody expected these two to be the stars of this team, but were to be the role players the Cavaliers needed to be a very dominant team. Without these two, as we saw during the Cavaliers four-game losing streak, their bench turns into a nightmare. Thompson put up a double-double, -- points and -- rebounds, while Waiters scored -- points and dished out - assists. If they can put up nights like these on a constant basis going forward, the Cavaliers will only get better.

3. Speaking of the bench, how big has Matthew Dellavedova been since his return?

For whatever talent that he lacks, he makes up for it twice as much heart and hustle. He missed four weeks with a MCL strain, but since coming back against Brooklyn, it looks as if he hadn't missed a beat. Tonight was no different, literally doing everything. He went in and grabbed rebounds with the bigs, drew a charge and hit five 3-pointers. For a team that seriously lacks point guard depth, he is slowly developing himself into an extremely solid back-up.

Statline of the night:

Russell Westbrook: 26 points, 7 rebounds, 8 assists, 12-24 shooting.

Everything that Westbrook does well was put on display tonight. On both side of the ball, he provided energy and aggressiveness that helped propel the Thunder to their fourth straight victory.

What's next:

Dec. 11, on the road against the New Orleans Pelicans, 8 p.m.

Comeback Cavs get their eight straight win

(Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images)

Thanks to a strong defensive effort in the fourth quarter and a team showing no signs of quit, the Cleveland Cavaliers (13-7) overcame a double-digit deficit in the second half to defeat the Toronto Raptors for the second time in five days, 105-101.

It didn't start out pretty for the Cavaliers. For the first three quarters, they looked like a team that was playing the second night of a back-to-back, letting the Raptors have their way on the offensive end, allowing them to score 88 points and shoot 58.0 percent from the field. Jonas Valanciunas looked like an All-Star in that span, scoring 18 points and grabbing 14 rebounds, while getting everything he put up to go in.

Despite those numbers, the Cavaliers only trailed by seven heading into the final quarter. The defense, which looked sluggish in the first three quarters, turned on a switch and played like the defense we had seen over the last seven games. In that final period, the Cavaliers held the Raptors to 13 points and 30.0 percent from the field and didn't allow them to shoot a free throw all period.

With that increase in their defensive intensity, the Cavaliers were able to tie the game at 97 with 3:50 left in the game after Kyrie Irving found Kevin Love for a 3-pointer. Each team would score again to keep the score tied at 99 with just under two minutes left in the game.

The defense, which brought them back in the game, came up in the final moments to bring them over the top. Irving, who has shown much improvement in his defense this year, forced a steal on Terrance Ross, leading to a LeBron 3-pointer on the other end to give the Cavaliers a 102-99 lead with 48.1 seconds left on the clock. Then, on the next defensive possession, Tristan Thompson was switched onto Kyle Lowry, a mis-match for Thompson by all means. However, Thompson was hearing none of that, sticking with Lowry as he drove baseline, forcing him to fire up a shot that would hit the top of the backboard, giving the Cavaliers the ball back.

Free throws would ice the game for the Cavaliers, giving them their eight straight win, the most they've had since LeBron's first stint in Cleveland, when they won eight straight in March 2010.

Three Things:

1. Gotta love the fight in this team.

Through three quarters, everything was going Toronto's and was looking like the Cavaliers might lose for the first time in two weeks. But, despite trailing by as many as 13 in the second half, there was never a time where LeBron or anyone else showed signs of frustration, with every Toronto run being matched by Cleveland, a reason they only trailed by seven heading into the fourth. After watching four years of teams quit after being down by double-digits, it was good to finally see a team fight back and never think this game was over.

2. Dion Waiters, Part II.

Waiters is known for being very inconsistent, rarely putting back-to-back quality games together, especially this year. So, how did he respond after putting up his best game of the year against the Nets? Well, he put up 18 points on a very efficient 7-of-10 shooting while only turning over the ball one time. No one is asking Waiters to be an All-NBA player, but the production he has put up over the last two games is the player the Cavaliers need him to be, and for him to put up back-to-back very good performances, it's a great sign for Cleveland.

3. Let's talk about the defense.

If you didn't happen to catch the fourth quarter, it's understandable to yell and scream about the Cavaliers defense, because it was bad. But unlike the previous games in which the defense looked as bad as tonight, this time they didn't let it carry into the final quarter. I don't know what was said in the huddle after the third period, but it worked. All those easy buckets that the Raptors were getting in first three quarters vanquished in the final 12 minutes. Although three-fourths of the Cavaliers defense tonight was putrid, it's at least something promising that it was only 36 minutes instead of 48.

Statline of the night:

LeBron James: 35 points, 4 assists, 2 rebounds, 2 steals, 12-of-21 shooting.

What makes LeBron the greatest player in the league is that he does whatever it takes to get his team the win. If his team needs him to be the point guard and find open teammates, he'll do that as he's done over the last seven games. If his team needs him to score, he can do that, as he did tonight. He went into scorer-mode tonight, wielding the Cavaliers to their eight straight win.

What's next:

Dec. 11, on the road against the Oklahoma City Thunder, 8 p.m.

Tristan's big homecoming game gives Cavs their sixth straight

(Photo by Dave Sandford/NBAE via Getty Images)

In a season themed by homecoming, it was Tristan Thompson who showed up big in his hometown of Toronto, scoring 21 points and grabbed 14 rebounds in the Cleveland Cavaliers victory over the Toronto Raptors, 105-91.

Thompson, a Toronto native, played big when the Cavaliers needed it most. With the Raptors trying to make a comeback in the fourth quarter, it was Thompson and LeBron James whom worked the two-man game. The biggest play between the two was when the Cavaliers were clinging to an 8-point lead with just over four minutes left in the game. James, who had been controlling the point guard duties. James drove right, warranted a double-team and then threw a lob to Thompson, who would finish with a slam and the exclamation on the Cavaliers night.

Tonight's win gave the Cavaliers their sixth straight, but more importantly, it showed that Cleveland does in fact have a bench that's alive. After being out-scored by the Raptors 51-19 in their last meeting, it was the Cavaliers who get the better of the benches, out-scoring Toronto's bench 33-25. James Jones, who played in his fourth game of the season tonight, had eight points, all coming in the second quarter. Those were some big points though, as they helped eliminate a Toronto comeback that haunted the Cavaliers in their first match-up.

Oh, and let's not forget about LeBron. 24 points, 13 assists and 7 rebounds was as classical of a LeBron performance as you will find. But it was not his stat-line that was LeBron-esque, it was the way he finished the game. He kept his teammates involved and scored when he needed to, a big reason the Cavaliers were able to out-score the Raptors 54-47 in the second half.

Six straight victories match their longest since LeBron last graced a Cavalier uniform. With the team rolling, how many games can they extend it to? A tough road lies ahead, but if they can escape from this upcoming stretch unscathed, a dominate hot streak could be in the making.

Three Things:

1. Hello defense my old friend.

Would you look at? The Cavaliers not only held a top-tiered defense to 91 points and 40 percent shooting, but did it in their own building. We've raved and raved and raved about the improvements of the Cavaliers defense, and tonight was a great sign of that, especially from LeBron, who nabbed four steals and held Terrance Ross and James Johnson to a combined 11 points on 4-of-16 shooting. For the (enter number)th time this season, we'll say how good the offense is and how good the defense needs to be for the Cavaliers to be contenders. Tonight could be our first glimpse of what a peak Cavaliers team could, considering how well the defense played.

2. Welcome to the rotation, Mr. Jones.

Including tonight, Jones has played in four games this season, but tonight was different from those first three games. Filling in for Mike Miller, who was diagnosed with a concussion after last night's game against the New York Knicks, James hit two 3-pointers and finished plus-two when he was on the court. For a team desperately looking for guys to contribute off the bench, any performance like tonight will help your cause. But more than that, LeBron has vouched for a guy like Miller to get more minutes, meaning we might see him express the same thought about Jones.

3. LeBron is the best point guard in the league.

For the third straight game, and the fifth time in seven games, James had 10 assists. It doesn't matter what his height is or what his listed position is for All-Star balloting, he is a point guard, through and through. His vision is second to none and makes passes only he can make. For example, when he was on a two-on-one fast break with Thompson, James whipped a perfect no-look pass after fumbling the outlet, with Thompson finishing with a dunk. Although Kyrie is considered the point guard, the best decision head coach David Blatt made so far this season was when he put the ball in LeBron's hand to run the offense.

Statline of the night:

Tristan Thompson: 21 points, 15 rebounds (9 offensive), 2 assists, 8-of-13 shooting.

It's pretty obvious the Cavaliers don't win this game without Thompson, but it's more than just the stats that show that. Thompson's (surprise) ability to finish around the rim allowed LeBron and Kyrie to get to paint and either score or dish it off to Thompson.

What's next:

Dec. 8, on the road against the Brooklyn Nets, 7:30 p.m.

Cleveland Cavaliers - Toronto Raptors preview

Toronto Raptors

Record: 15-4, first in the Eastern Conference

Offense: 112.4 offensive rating (2nd)

Defense: 103.5 defensive rating (15th)

Net rating: 8.9 (3rd)

Probable Starters	PPG	RPG	APG
Kyle Lowry	20.6	4.9	6.8
Greivis Vasquez	9.8	2.4	3.2
Terrance Ross	11.7	2.8	0.9
Amir Johnson	9.4	5.1	1.6
Jonas Valanciunas	11.8	8.4	0.6

The Last Result(s)

Nov. 22: Toronto 110, Cleveland 93

The Match-up to Watch

Kyrie Irving vs. Kyle Lowry

Irving has played incredible over the last four games, including a 37-point performance against the Knicks, while Lowry has stepped up his game since Demar DeRozan went down with an injury. Lowry was key in the Raptors in their first match-up, and whoever gets the upper hand between these two point guards, their team will come out on top as well.

The Number

50.0

That's the field goal percentage that LeBron needs to shoot. In games where he does do better than that, the Cavaliers are 6-1. When he doesn't, they're 4-6. If Cleveland wants to win, it all depends on how well LeBron plays.

The Playlist

Why Cleveland will win:

It's pretty simple: if LeBron and Kyrie both bring their A-games, the Cavaliers are virtually unbeatable. Throw in the fact that Kevin Love has looked better (scratch the Knicks game) since the first Raptors game, might as well pack up and go home. The real key for the Cavaliers will be their bench, which squandered a 18-point lead in the last meeting. If they get some production out of Dion Waiters, who has struggled mightily this season, that will be enough for the Cavaliers to take their sixth straight win.

Why Toronto will win:

Remember Lou Williams? If not, you'll be reminded of him again this game. Win or lose, the Raptors bench will in fact out-score the Cavaliers, and will be led by the guy scored a career-high in last meeting against the Cavaliers. The bench was what won the first game, and will again be the main reason why the Raptors will win tonight.

The Prediction

Cleveland 107, Toronto 101

Although DeRozan's absence will be big, I don't think he'll be the reason the Raptors lose tonight. The Cavaliers have won five straight games, and have done so in different ways. A night after Kyrie stole the spotlight (even though it was always on him after it was announced he would have his own signature shoe with Nike), it will the LeBron Show north of the border, where I expect him to dominate and lead the Cavaliers to their sixth straight victory.

Cleveland Cavaliers - New York Knicks preview

(Photo by Joe Murphy/NBAE via Getty Images)

New York Knicks

Record: 4-15, 12th in the Eastern Conference

Offense: 101.0 offensive rating (22nd)

Defense: 107.2 defensive rating (27th)

Net: -6.2 (24th)

Probable Starters	PPG	RPG	APG
Jose Calderon	10.7	4.5	4.3
Iman Shumpert	10.8	3.4	3.2
Carmelo Anthony	23.5	6.1	3.3
Amar'e Stoudemire	12.8	7.9	1.0
Samuel Dalembert	4.0	5.3	1.2

The Previous Result(s)

Oct. 31: New York 95, Cleveland 90

The Match-up to Watch

LeBron James vs. Carmelo Anthony

Best friends, draft-mates and two of the best small forwards in the league face of for the 23rd time in their careers. Records go out the window in these type of games, as you can always expect both of these players to bring their best performance in this match-up. Anthony got the best of James in the first meeting this season, but it is known how much James love playing in Madison Square Garden.

The Number

20

That's how many players in NBA history that have had a signature shoe with Nike, with Kyrie Irving being the latest to receive this honor when it was announced last night in New York. Along with LeBon James, the Cavaliers currently have two players with signature shoes from Nike, the only team in the league that can claim that honor.

The Playlist

Do I really have to explain this part...?

Why Cleveland will win

On paper, Cleveland should be able to walk away from the Garden with an easy victory. The Cavaliers have been on a roll on offense during their four-game winning streak, averaging 120.4 points per 100 possessions, which would currently lead the league by a hefty margin. Add the fact that LeBron loves playing in MSG, the Cavaliers should cruise to a victory.

Why New York will win

As bad as the Knicks have been this year, you can never count out a team that has Carmelo Anthony playing for them. Anthony came up big in their Oct. 31 match-up, scoring 23 points and hitting a dagger over LeBron to clinch the Knicks win in Cleveland. Also, don't forget that the Knicks are the best 3-point shooting team in the league, and all it takes is for one or two guys to get hot for the Knicks to pull off the upset at home.

The Prediction

Cleveland 109, New York 108

I don't care that the Knicks are 4-14, this is still a game the Cavaliers could lose. Cleveland is 1-3 on primetime games so far this season, and everyone knows just how much Carmelo loves playing against LeBron. Despite that, I think the Cavaliers come out with a win, but not without a scare and monster game from Anthony.

Mike Miller sparks Cavs to a gritty win over the Bucks

(Chuck Crow/The Plain Dealer)

This was a win the Cavaliers have been looking for all season.

The Cleveland Cavaliers extended their winning streak to four, defeating the Milwaukee Bucks 111-108.

Trailing by double digits in the middle of the third quarter, the Cavaliers looked all out of sorts on both ends of the court; the ball was stopped on offense and were giving up plenty of open looks to the Bucks on defense.

Two guys specifically were tough for the Cavaliers: guard Brandon Knight and rookie Jabari Parker. In tonight's game, they each finished with 20-plus points, with Parker showing glimpses of the potential that has been placed on him over the last two years. When the Bucks were building their lead in the third quarter, Parker showed plenty of flash, including a baseline dunk where he blew past Kevin Love and finished with his off-hand.

Previous games would dictate a loss for the Cavaliers. However, this game would not end as those ones did, and it was led by a guy has had more DNP's than 3-pointers this season.

Mike Miller, who hasn't played in the last three games, got his first minutes of the night with 6:45 left in the third quarter with the Cavaliers trailing by nine. After a LeBron James turnover with the Cavaliers trailing by 11, the Bucks came down and had chance to extend their lead, but couldn't capitalize after Larry Sanders missed a wide open dunk. Kyrie Irving would rebound the miss and outlet the pass to Miller, who would pull-up and nail 3-pointer off the break. Following that make, Irving would get a steal on the following Bucks possession and finish an and-one on the break to cut the deficit to five.

By the end of the third, the game would be tied heading into the final quarter, and Miller's work would not be finished.

With the game tied at 89 in the middle of the fourth, Miller was matched up on Giannis Antetokounmpo, also known as the Greek Freak for his unnatural size and length. A mismatch by all accounts, Antetokounmpo drove to the basket against Miller, expecting to get an easy bucket against the bad defense of Miller. However, Miller did what no one would expect: he blocked the 6-11 guard's shot, grabbed the loose ball and threw it out to Irving, who would finish at the other end with another and-one, giving the Cavaliers a 92-89 lead with just under four minutes left in the game. Just under a minute later, Miller would hit his second 3-pointer of the game, giving the Cavaliers a six-point lead that they would not relinquish.

Miller would finish the game with six points, seven rebounds and one huge block.

You may say that Kevin Love (27 points and 10 rebounds) or Irving had the better games (28 points and 6 assists), but it was Miller that was the difference in the game. Last year (and even so far this year) this game would have been lost. Miller has changed the mindset of many of the Cavaliers who have endured losing for almost three years.

He's been in this spot before. He's hit big shots in multiple playoff games, helping the Miami Heat win two NBA championships. With a Cavaliers bench that has been the worst in the league, his spark tonight was exactly what Cleveland needed in order to extend their winning streak to four.

Three Things:

1. Kyrie has been the Cavaliers best player this season.

It's hard to argue just how good Irving has looked this entire season. Coming into tonight's game, the fourth-year guard has averaged 21.1 points, 5.0 assists and 3.5 rebounds per game, all while shooting a career-high 46.7 percent from the field. Tonight was no different, scoring 28 points (10-of-15 shooting) and dishing out six assists. No one expected Irving to look this good, this early, but that appears to be the case. But it's not just his offense that's been impressive, his defense has been dramatically different from what he had been doing in his first three years. LeBron has looked great, but not in every game. If there is anyone on the Cavaliers who shields virtually no blame for their start to their season, that one would be Kyrie Irving.

2. The Bucks are NOT bad.

Casual NBA fans see the Milwaukee Bucks as an easy win for their team, considering they won a whopping 19 games last year, and outside of drafting Jabari Parker, didn't get much better this year. Well, they didn't add much in free agency, but they did gain something they didn't have last year: health. Last year, Larry Sanders and Ersan Ilyasova missed a combined 97 games, a big part of why they were so bad. This year, they both have played in every game, and have been a big factor in the Bucks winning ways. Combine that with Giannis Antetokounmpo's growth and Parker's ability to be a star, like he showed tonight, you'll see they're not as bad many think they are, and could sneak into the playoffs at the end of the year.

3. The bench.

Outside of Mike Miller and Tristan Thompson, ¯\_(ツ)_/¯.

Statline of the night:

Kyrie Irving - 27 points, 6 assists, 1 turnover, 10-of-15 shooting.

Another game, another solid outing from Kyrie Irving. For the ninth time in 11 games, Irving scored 20 points, and once again played solid defense. Although he let Brandon Knight scored 27 points on him, he made a key steal with the Cavaliers trailing and nearly cut the lead in half at the other end. Is he the Cavaliers MVP so far? Hard to go against him.

What's next:

Dec. 4, on the road against the New York Knicks, 8 p.m.

Cleveland Cavaliers-Milwaukee Bucks preview

(Photo by Gary Dineen/NBAE via Getty Images)

Milwaukee Bucks

Record: 10-8, sixth in the Eastern Conference

Offense: 99.8 offensive rating (24th)

Defense: 100.1 defensive rating (7th)

Net rating: -0.3 (16th)

Probable Starters	PPG	RPG	APG
Brandon Knight	17.0	4.7	5.9
O.J. Mayo	10.8	2.3	3.2
Giannis Antetokounmpo	11.9	5.9	1.9
Jabari Parker	11.9	6.1	1.7
Larry Sanders	7.2	6.6	0.8

The Good

- For as bad as the Bucks were just a year ago, they have been a quiet surprise so far this season thanks in part to their ability to defend. They a lot of length, but they way they use it might be different than you expected. Turnovers are what make them a good defensive team, forcing 16.6 of them per game, third in the league. They have four guys that get at least a steal per game, and just like the Cavaliers have done recently, are turning them into points on the other, netting 18.6 points off of the turnovers they force. We've seen the Cavaliers struggle with keeping possession, and if they struggle with that again tonight, Milwaukee could steal one in Cleveland.

- That length they possess also helps them on the offensive end, where they rank seventh in offensive rebounding percentage and ninth in offensive rebounds per game. They aren't great at capitalizing on those opportunities (12th in second chance points), but can hurt any team if they get easy put-backs after missed shots. The Cavaliers are one of the better teams in the league at limiting second and third opportunities, but with the length we talked about that the Bucks have, the less shots they can give up in the paint, the better.

- If you haven't seen Giannis Antetokounmpo play yet, you really are missing out. He is virtually a mini-Kevin Durant: tall and long, but with the skill set of a guard. Just in the last week, he euro-stepped from the 3-point line into the lane for an easy finish not once, but twice! His upside is limitless, and if is able to maximize his potential, he could be one of the best players in the league for years to come.

The Bad

- If you're looking for a shootout, you've came to the wrong game to watch. The Bucks rank in the bottom of the league in offensive rating, effective field goal percentage and true shooting percentage. With the way the Cavaliers have looked recently, they've shown that it doesn't matter how good their opponent's defense is, it's all about the offense. Orlando, Washington and Indiana all can attest that, as they all rank in the top-15 in defensive rating, but it was their lack of offense that allowed them to get blown out. If the Milwaukee wants to win, they have to rely more on their offense, which they frankly are not good enough at to out-score one of the top offensive teams in the league.

- You would think for as good as they at rebounding the ball offensively, they would be just as good at defensive rebounding, right? Wrong. The Bucks rank 28th in defensive rebounding percentage and allow 12.0 offensive rebounds per game to their opponents, 27th in the NBA. The worst thing you can do against a very good offensive team is give them second chance opportunities, which will be the task for head coach Jason Kidd and the rest of the Milwaukee Bucks.

The Match-up to Watch

LeBron James vs. Jabari Parker

A classic match-up of the present against the future. James is considered the best player in the NBA, while many predict Parker to become one of the best players in the league. Just like James, Parker was touted as one of the best recruits of all-time and most likely would have been the No. 1 overall pick if it weren't Cleveland that had that spot. Parker has struggled so far in his first season, and we'll see tonight how he fares against one of the league's best at his position.

The Number

16th

That's where Cleveland currently stands in defensive ranking, a number many thought they would not reach this early in the season, especially after how they looked during their four-game losing streak. If the Cavaliers can stay around this number, or potentially creep up the rankings near the top-10, then they will have a realistic shot of not only making the NBA finals, but winning the championship.

The Playlist

Welcome to Milwaukee: a city that lacks musical star power and gives us another difficult playlist selection. I'm gonna make this easier for all of us and just use the Bucks moniker for our playlist:

Why Cleveland will win:

It looks as if everything is rolling for the Cavaliers; Kevin Love is starting play like his All-Star form, LeBron and Kyrie Irving are finding their chemistry and the defense has been good enough. The defense should continue to get better facing a Bucks offense that is lackluster at best, and expect the offense to be too much for the Bucks solid defense to handle.

Why Milwaukee will win:

If there is one thing that Cleveland tends to struggle with, turnovers are that. They've averaged 5.6 more turnovers per game in losses compared to wins. Just look at the Toronto and the first Washington game, where the Cavaliers had a combined 37 turnovers in two blowout losses. As we noted above, Milwaukee is one of the best at forcing turnovers, and will be the key if they want to win in Cleveland.

The Prediction

Cleveland 102, Milwaukee 90

The last time the Cavaliers had a three-game winning streak, they lost the next game at home to a winnable opponent. I don't expect that to happen again, with the difference being how well they've played defensively. During their last winning streak, the defense was still suspect. Unless they relapse mightily against a bad Bucks offense, expect the Cavaliers roll to their fourth straight win.

Big Three and 'D' show out against the Pacers

(Photo by Gregory Shamus/NBAE via Getty Images)

Now this looks like the team we expected.

Coming off two straight dominant defensive performances, the Cleveland Cavaliers (8-7) made it three in a row, holding the Indiana Pacers (7-10) to 39.3 percent shooting, and defeated them by a score of 109-97.

Just when questions were being raised about Kevin Love and his involvement in the offense, he laid all of them to rest by having his best game of the season. Love scored 28 points (9-for-13 shooting), and got them in a variety of ways. He scored in the post, knocked down some mid-range jumpers, nailed two 3-pointers and even drove and scored while taking some contact. With the way that LeBron James and Kyrie Irving have played, if he can continue to show his versatility that he showed tonight, teams across the league will finally begin to fear the Cavaliers.

Speaking of James and Irving, they were also key in tonight's win. When the Cavaliers were clinging to a four-point lead after halftime despite leading by 18 at one point, James dominated the third quarter, scoring 11 of his 19 points in that period and attacking the paint in a way that many are used to seeing LeBron play. He put the exclamation point on tonight's win late in third, when he scored, got fouled and hit the free throw to give the Cavaliers a 19-point lead, their biggest of the night.

As Irving, he put together another ho hum outing. 24 points, 10 rebounds, 5 assists and plenty of highlight reel plays. During the Cavaliers 27-8 run to start the game, Irving jumped and caught a deflection, and, while still in the air, threw a perfect one-handed pass in stride to Shawn Marion, who would finish with a dunk.

Not only was his offense on point tonight, Irving's defense was just as good, as was the rest of the Cavaliers defense. Cleveland forced Indiana into some tough shots, and that was in part to Irving's shutdown of former Cavalier Donald Sloan. The Pacer's point guard was quietly having himself a nice season coming into tonight, but was held to just two points tonight on 1-of-8 shooting. Irving has said he wants to become a better defender, and nights like this are showing just how much he means by that.

Unlike the previous three-game winning streak, I think the Cavaliers are starting to find their rhythm on both sides of the ball. The communication and energy have looked vastly different form what it was just a week ago, and it will only get better. Could this be the beginning of a dominating stretch that Cavalier fans haven't seen in four years?

Three Things:

1. This is gonna be fun.

I hate to steal the phrase used from this famous Sports Illustrated cover, but that's exactly what it's going to be like every time the Cavaliers take the floor, especially now that are starting to find some chemistry. Irving made an unbelievable pass to Marion tonight, but it was LeBron's no-look pass to Irving that wowed people across the league. LeBron looked to be directing traffic on the elbow, then threw a snap pass to Irving who laid it in with the left hand. Now that Love is getting things going, will there be a more exciting team in the league? I say no. 

2. KyD Irving?

Okay, yeah, that sounds kind of dumb. But on a serious note, how good has Irving looked on defensive over the last few games? Last year, Irving was laughing stock on defense, with guys PRAYING to play him in order to get up their stats. This year? Not so much. Against the Wizards, he held John Wall to six points after he gave up 28 to him in the previous match-up. He again shut down the point guard, a big reason the Cavaliers held the Pacers to under 40 percent shooting. I'm not saying he'll ever be an elite defender, but from what he's shown this year, that's all the Cavaliers will need if they want to compete for a title.

3. Come on, bench.

The great thing about having LeBron James, Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love is that if all three of them are on, it's going to be hard for Cleveland to lose. Tonight was a prime example of that, as the bench again failed to provide any help that luckily the Cavaliers didn't need. The Pacers bench out-scored the Cavaliers 52-16, and almost overcame an 18-point first quarter deficit heading into halftime. Unlike the Raptors game, the starters were able to regain their large lead in the second half and cruise to a double-digit win. This has been a problem all season, and if and when the starters struggle, the bench has shown they aren't good enough to overcome that.

Statline of the night:

Kevin Love: 28 points, 11 rebounds, 9-of-13 shooting.

Love finally showed why he has been considered one of the best players in the game with his performance tonight. He scored in a multitude of ways, notched his seventh double-double of the season and most importantly, looked to be comfortable on both ends of the court. Love has been the last piece of the puzzle for the Cavaliers to get rolling, and tonight was a step in the right direction.

What's next:

Dec. 2, at home against the Milwaukee Bucks, 7:00 p.m.

Forcing turnovers benefitting both defense and offense

(Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images)

Coming into this season, the Cleveland Cavaliers defense was questioned over and over and over again, wondering whether it would hamper their chances of winning an NBA championship.

So far this season, it's been a roller coaster ride for the defensive, going from okay, to really bad, to okay again in just one month. From where we stand right now, their average defense has been surprisingly average, specifically playing well over their last two games.

If you haven't checked yet, the Cavaliers currently rank 17th in defensive rating. At first glance, that might not look sexy, but from where the Cavaliers were a week ago, that's pretty impressive. Not much has changed from how low they were a week ago, but they are doing something that the Miami Heat did well over the last three years with LeBron James: forcing turnovers.

Over the last two games, the Cavaliers have had defensive ratings of 98.5 (good) and 84.0 (really good), while also allowing fewer than 90 points in each game. The reason they've been able to have these spectacular numbers are due to the amount of turnover they have forced. In those same two games from above, the Cavaliers have forced 36 turnovers, good for a turnover percentage of exactly 20.

The most surprising aspect of this trend is the guy who has been at the helm of the havoc: Kyrie Irving.

Irving has been criticized for his defense ever since he's entered the league. But so far this season, his defense has been a huge improvement, even himself asking to have a bigger role on that end. The increased role has paid off, as he has averaged 3.0 steals per game over the last two, and 1.8 per game for the entire season, which ranks 11th among all NBA players. If he can keep up this defensive effort, he will help shadow over the glaring weakness that Cleveland has.

The turnovers aren't just helping the defense, it has helped their high-powered offense. Of those 36 turnovers, they have turned them into 49 points, good for 22.4 percent of their 219 points scored during that stretch. To put that number in perspective, the Philadelphia 76ers lead the league with 20.3 percent of their points coming off of turnovers.

However, this isn't just a sample of their last two games: this has been their theme in every game so far this season. Take a look at the graph below:

The turnovers per game is slightly higher in wins, but just take look at the difference in points scored off of turnovers; almost seven points per game higher!

That seven-point difference has been the result of their level of intensity, which has been extremely high over the last two games (both wins) and also during their three-game winning streak two weeks ago. When the Cavaliers get lazy on the defensive end, as they did during their four-game losing streak, the turnovers decrease and opportunities to score off of them go down as well.

Unless there is a trade made for big man, the Cavaliers interior defense will be one of the worst in the league. As it stands, opponents are shooting 64.4 percent inside of five feet of the basket, second-worst in the league. That is why the turnovers will be huge for Cleveland going forward, helping them hide their weak spot on that end of the court.

As for the offense, the turnovers will create easy fast break chances for guys like LeBron James, Irving and even Dion Waiters, who are virtually unstoppable in the open court. They still have things to work out offensively, and nothing can get things going like easy buckets, which will come off the turnovers they force.

Cleveland Cavaliers-Indiana Pacers preview

(Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)

Indiana Pacers

Record: 7-9, eighth in the Eastern Conference

Offense: 98.6 offensive rating (26th)

Defense: 101.7 defensive rating (10th)

The Good

- ALL OF THE REBOUNDS. Seriously, the Pacers are really good at controlling the glass, ranking in the top five of every rebounding category. What makes them so good at this is the overall team effort they put towards rebounding. There is not one player that averages more than 10 per game, but have seven guys who average at least four per game. The Pacers use their rebounding advantage effectively on the offensive end, where they average 15.9 second chance points per game, second-best in the NBA. Their offense isn't great, but if you let them get second chance opportunities, they will take advantage.

- The Pacers have had one of the stingiest defenses in the league over the last few years, and this year is no different. Despite losing two of their three best defenders from last season, the one that remains has anchored this Pacers that currently has given up the fifth-fewest points per game in the NBA. Roy Hibbert, who saw some criticism in last year's playoffs, has looked like his All-Star from last year, specifically on the defensive end, where he averages 2.8 blocks per game (second in the NBA) and forces opponent's to shoot 38.6 percent when Hibbert is guarding them. Without Hibbert (who might not play tonight), the Pacers will be vulnerable in the paint, where the Cavaliers have been attacking as of late.

The Bad

- If the Cavaliers off-season was at the top of the mountain, the Pacers was below rock bottom. Losing Lance Stephenson was big, but when All-NBA forward Paul George broke his leg during a USA men's national team scrimmage in July, the Pacers immediately went from an Eastern Conference contender to a lottery team in the matter of seconds. Without George, who has been one of the best two-way players in the league, the Pacers lack any sort of an offense threat, which was already a struggle even with George in the line-up.

- Speaking off the Pacers offense, it is as bad as advertised. They rank 27th in points per game and 26th in field goal percentage, but that's just the beginning of how bad they are on that end. You won't see them setting up teammates well, ranking dead last in both assists per game and assist percentage. It doesn't matter how bad the Cavaliers defense has been (it's actually looked better as of late), they are still capable of stopping this stale Pacers offense.

The Match-up to Watch

Kyrie Irving vs. Donald Sloan

This won't be a match-up that headlines any media outlets, but it will be the one to watch for in this game. Sloan has been a surprise for Pacers this season, being the second player Indiana desperately needed after all their losses, filling in nicely for injured George Hill. He'll get the chance to face-off against the guy he backed up for almost two years in Cleveland, Cavaliers point guard Kyrie Irving. Could this be a Donald Sloan redemption game?

The Number

25

That's the number of points that LeBron needs to score if the Cavaliers want to win. When he scored more than that, the Cavaliers are 6-1. When he doesn't, Cleveland is 1-6. It's been stated that the Cavaliers go as far as LeBron James takes them, and this number only backs up that claim.

The Playlist

When thinking of music from Indiana, literally nothing comes to mind. Thankfully for the internet, I was reminded that Michael Jackson and the rest of the Jackson 5 were from Gary, Indiana. I normally like to use rap whenever I can for The Playlists, but it's hard to beat the King of Pop:

Why Cleveland will win

It shouldn't be hard to see why the Cavaliers should win this game. Their offense has been dynamite over the last two games, while their defense has gotten progressively better. The Cavaliers defense should benefit from playing a bottom-ranked Indiana offense, turning their turnovers into points and handily beating the Pacers.

Why Indiana will win

Donald Sloan redemption game! Seriously, don't have too many positive things going for them, but Sloan has been one of them. He put 29 points on the road against Dallas, and he could do that again depending on which Kyrie shows up on defense. Combine a great Sloan game with a prototypical defensive game from the rest of the Pacers, could steal one in Cleveland.

The Prediction

Cavaliers 109, Pacers 95

As good as the Pacers defense is, their offense is too big of an obstacle to overcome. Add the way the Cavaliers have been playing on both ends, I don't see the Pacers pulling off another road victory against a high-powered offense. It's gonna take a relapse in the Cavaliers defense and a bad showing from LeBron for Cleveland not to win their third straight.

Defense steps up for the Cavs in a blowout over the Wizards

(AP Photo/Tony Dejak)

Facing the Wizards for the second time in less than a week, the Cleveland Cavaliers were able to flip the switch the flip from the first game, winning the turnover battle, and most importantly the game, 111-87.

The Cavs were able to force 17 turnovers, leading to 22 points -- almost identically to Washington's numbers in the previous match-up, a game in which the Wizards won by 13. Turnovers were just a part of the strong overall defensive effort by the Cavs, in which they held the Wizards to 46.7 percent shooting from the field.

Part of their improved performance on that end was limiting the play of John Wall. In the first game, Wall was the difference for the Wizards in the last game, netting 27 points, six rebounds and seven points, but was limited to just six points on 2-of-6 shooting. Irving, who has improved his defense over the course of the year, took on the challenge of guarding Wall, and succeeded in doing so.

LeBron James, who criticized himself after the team's recent four-game losing streak, played like his former self, almost putting up a triple-double. He had 29 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists, but it was his defense that came up big tonight. He had a season-high four steals and showed the energy that was lacking just a week ago.

Overall, this was one of the best all-around games the Cavs have played all season. With a fairly easy schedule coming up, Cleveland should start to get things rolling and begin to fly over the .500-mark, playing like the team many expected to be.

Three Things:

1. The D is slowly improving.

The Cavs will never have a Memphis or Chicago defense, nor do they need one, but from where they were last week, they have made some tremendous strides. Washington still hit -- percent of shots, but the amount of easy shots they had were at a minimum, forcing the Wizards to shoot a plethora of mid-range jumpers. For as good as there offense has been, the defense is starting to become at the level they need to win contend. Communication looked head and shoulders better, and led to them forcing plenty of turnovers and a number of fast break opportunities.

2. Turnovers, turnovers, turnovers.

Speaking of turnovers, the Cavs limited theirs and forced the Wizards into a lot of them. The Cavs best offense is when they're on the break, with LeBron and Kyrie guaranteeing you two points every time they have an advantage. If the Cavs want to have an average defense, they need to force turnovers, which they showed tonight they can do. If the Cavs can continue to wreck havoc for opponents, it will only make them that much better.'

3. The rivalry is back.

They mid-2000 Cavaliers-Wizards rivalry was one of the best in the NBA over the last 20 years. For three straight years, they battled in the playoffs and saw plenty of fire from both sides. Talk stirred back up in the off-season, and was shown a little bit in the first game. But tonight, tempers flared on both sides on two separate occasions. The most noted of the two was when Tristan Thompson accidentally ran over Wall, then Wall got in Thompson's face, with words being exchanged between the two. With both of these teams finally being good again, this revived rivalry will again be one of the best in the league.

Statline of the night:

LeBron James: 29 points, 10 rebounds, 8 assists. 7-of-14 shooting, 14-of-17 on free throws.

I've said it before, and I'll say it again: this team will go as far as LeBron is willing to take them. LeBron showed up tonight, and their was nothing the Wizards could do to stop him. It's gonna be hard for team's to beat the Cavs when LeBron plays this well.

What's next:

Nov. 29, at home against the Indiana Pacers. 7:30 p.m.

Can the Cavs avenge their last game against the Wizards?

(Photo by Ned Dishman/NBAE via Getty Images)

Washington Wizards

Record: 9-4, second in the Eastern Conference

Offense: 104.8 offensive rating (20th)

Defense: 101.8 defensive rating (7th)

The Last Result(s)

Nov. 21: Wizards 91, Cavs 78 (read about it here)

The Matchup to Watch

Kyrie Irving vs. John Wall

The first time these two matched up this season, both of these point guards showed their skill sets, with each of them scoring at least 20 points. But it was Wall who got the best of Irving, finishing with 28 points, six rebounds, seven assists, four steals and most importantly, a win. Both of these former No. 1 picks have made their case as the top young point guard in the league, and it's always a sight to see when these two matchup against each other.

The Number

100

Record when the Cavs score more than 100 points: 6-1

Record when the Cavs score less than 100 points: 0-6

The Playlist

Well, another game against Washington means more music from this D.C. rapper:

Why Cleveland will win

The Cavs go as far as their offense takes them. If they get the offense rolling, they are virtually unbeatable. But when their offense sputters, it's hard for them to overcome that. The defense only needs to get a few stops here and there, but if LeBron James, Kevin Love and Kyrie Irving start finding their rhythm, there is no way they should lose.

Why Washington will win

Turnovers, turnovers and more turnovers. That's how they won the first game, scoring 24 points off of 19 Cleveland turnovers, and that's how they'll win this game. Wall is one of the best out forcing them (leads the league with 2.3 steals per game) and turning them into points. All it takes to beat Cleveland is to take them out of their offense rhythm, forcing them to rely on defense to win, which they've shown they cannot do (yet).

Prediction

Cavs 104, Wizards 95

The Wizards completely dominated the Cavs in their last game, holding them to a season-low 79 points and 36.0 percent shooting. Luckily for the Cavs, they get to play this game at home and probably won't have that bad of an offensive performance. The effort looked phenomenal in their last game against the Magic, and I expect them to continue that tonight and avenge their last outing against Washington.