Things are going from bad to worse for the Cleveland Cavaliers as they suffered a tough 127-115 loss to the Washington Wizards on Saturday. The Cavs not only lost for the third time in the last five games but they also lost their stranglehold on the top spot in the Eastern Conference standings. With the Celtics’ victory against the Heat on Sunday, the Cavs are now tied with Boston for first place in the East.
It won’t get any easier for the defending champions as standing in their way in their next match are the mighty San Antonio Spurs. The Cavs have lost 12 of their last 14 meetings with the Spurs, including a 118-115 decision earlier this season. AT&T Center has proven to be a nightmare destination for the Cavs with Cleveland losing six of its last seven games there.
For the Cavs to reverse that trend, they will need to improve on their play on the defensive end. Washington’s red-hot 59.8 percent shooting on Saturday against Cleveland was the highest shooting percentage against the Cavaliers this year. The Cavs have been the second-worst defensive team in the NBA since the All-Star break, ahead of only the hapless Los Angeles Lakers. No wonder Cleveland is just 8-9 since the break.
It’s paramount for the Cavs that they put the clamps on Kawhi Leonard. The MVP candidate has scored in double figures in 99 straight games for San Antonio. The Cavs had difficulty stopping Leonard in their first meeting this season with the San Diego State alum scoring a career-high 41 points in that clash.
The Cavs are 4-6 SU and ATS in their last 10 road games.
The San Antonio Spurs extended their winning streak to four games with a gritty 106-98 victory over the New York Knicks on Saturday night. Five players scored in double figures for the Spurs who moved to within 2.5 games of the league-leading Golden State Warriors. Leading the way for the Spurs in this contest were Kawhi Leonard and LaMarcus Aldridge. The Klaw scored a game-high 29 points, while Aldridge added 19 points and 10 rebounds. Leonard’s clearly staking his claim as one of the NBA’s top players, averaging 26.0 points, 5.9 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 1.8 steals per game this season.
The Spurs will look to sustain the momentum of that huge win when they lock horns with the Cleveland Cavaliers later tonight. For the Spurs to accomplish that feat, they will need to continue their excellent play on the defensive end. San Antonio’s 98.7 defensive efficiency since January 31 is the best in the NBA. The Spurs are the only team to record a defensive rating under 101 during that span. Gregg Popovich’s men will have their work cut out for them, however, against a Cleveland side that’s fourth in the league in scoring, averaging 110.5 points per game this season.
San Antonio is 9-1 SU and 3-7 ATS in its last 10 home games.
