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Highlights Video :
Brooklyn and Cleveland will look to rebound after blowing late leads on Wednesday night.
Wins have been hard to come by for the 9-36 Brooklyn Nets this season, so losing an 18-point fourth quarter lead probably stung more than most losses. The Nets started the fourth quarter on Wednesday ahead 89-71, but the wheels fell off for the home team as they were out-scored 38-17 in the final period. Dion Waiters hit the game-clinching shot for the second straight game for Miami. It's hard to take moral victories as a positive for an NBA team, but this is a young roster, so moral victories are better than nothing. Rookies Caris LeVert and Isaiah Whitehead have been bright spots on an otherwise underwhelming roster.
Brooklyn has been led by Brook Lopez in 2016/17, who is averaging over 20 points per game. After him, this roster is full of fringe-NBA players. It has not helped matters that Jeremy Lin aggravated his already injured left hamstring recently. That will keep him out for another 3-5 weeks. It's a safe bet that the Nets will garner a top-three draft pick in the upcoming draft.
Just hours after the Cavaliers reportedly shot down a trade offer from New York that would have sent Carmelo Anthony to Cleveland for Kevin Love, the Wine and Gold lost their sixth game in their last eight outings. LeBron James has reiterated in recent weeks that the team needs to add another playmaker to the roster. Anthony would definitely qualify as such, but is he good enough on the defensive end to warrant such a move?
Even amidst all the chaos in Cleveland, the Cavs are still sitting atop the East with a three-game lead over Toronto. The doctor couldn't have ordered a better match-up for James and the crew than a home game against basketball's worst team - the Brooklyn Nets. If Cleveland can't take care of business against the Nets, then there will be an issue!
Keys to the Game
Brooklyn Nets
- Stay close: This sounds like a pretty obvious one, but it's the only way that a terrible team can beat a championship team. Sacramento was able to stay within seven points of the defending champs on Wednesday night and came away with an impressive road win. The Nets must do what they do best and minimize mistakes.
- Lean on Lopez: Brook Lopez averages nearly four points more in Brooklyn's nine wins this season than losses. If Brooklyn is to pull the upset, Lopez must have a huge game.
Cleveland Cavaliers
- Quick start: Basketball is a game of momentum. If Cleveland can jump out to an early lead, you can stick a fork in Brooklyn. During Cleveland's three-game losing streak, they have scored 24, 26 and 33 points in the first quarter.
- Defensive identity: During Cleveland's 2015/16 championship season, the Cavaliers allowed just over 98 points per game to their opponents. This season? The Cavs are allowing over 105 points to their opponents. They have surrendered at least 100 points in each of their last 11 games.
Projected Nets starting lineup
PG Spencer Dinwiddie, SG Randy Foye, SF Bojan Bogdanovic, PF Trevor Booker, C Brook Lopez.
Projected Cavaliers starting lineup
PG Kyrie Irving, SG Iman Shumpert, SF LeBron James, PF Kevin Love, C Tristan Thompson.
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