Brooklyn should have 10 wins right now, only if Wednesday night’s fourth-quarter collapse against the Heat didn’t happen. The Nets squandered an 18-point lead in the final period and ultimately lost to a game-winning three-pointer from Dion Waiters. The loss was their 14th loss in the last 15 games.
And with that said, this evening’s regular-season finale versus Cleveland appears to be another impending L for the Nets, who had already dropped the first two meetings in this matchup. But they didn’t make it easy on the reigning champs in their latest encounter earlier this month, during which Brooklyn lost by just eight points to beat the spread.
The Nets might find themselves in a winnable situation this time, though. The Cavs have surprisingly lost their way lately, losing their previous three and six of their last eight.
Brook Lopez, who boasts a team-high 20.6 points per game and is coming off a 33-point night in the loss to Miami, will lead a capable Brooklyn offense that ranks 11th in the league in scoring.
Cleveland gave more reasons to rile up an already-frustrated LeBron James after Wednesday night’s overtime home loss to the Kings, 116-112, handing the Cavs their third-straight setback.
James recorded his second-straight triple-double (24 points, 13 rebounds, 11 assists), while his co-stars Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love had 20 and 21 points, respectively. Yes, the Big Three got it done offensively, but they, including everybody else, slacked off down the stretch in what was supposed to be a sure win for the defending champs.
They’re currently playing their worst basketball this season, and tonight’s matchup with the NBA’s worst team—Brooklyn—couldn’t have come at a better time. The Cavs disposed of the Nets in the first two meetings. A sweep of this series seems imminent, only if Cleveland can rediscover its true self.
The Cavs have allowed 116 or more points its current slide, and have also lost three of their last four games (1-3 ATS) at Quicken Loans Arena.
