Cavaliers Look to Keep Second Place in Eastern Conference

The Cleveland Cavaliers are sitting in second place in the Eastern Conference 11 games behind the first place Atlanta Hawks, but just 2 games in front of third place Toronto and 2 ½ in front of fourth place Chicago.

Cleveland’s head coach David Blatt, following just the second defeat by double digits in the last two months by his Cavaliers, said his team needs to finish the regular season in second place in the Eastern Conference.

Blatt said that on Monday following the Cavaliers 14-point loss to the Miami Heat.

Cleveland rested Kevin Love against Orlando and again on Monday against Miami. Blatt following the game was asked if the team was willing to rest its top players at the risk of losing the playoff positioning it wanted or felt it needed. He answered that by saying the team was thinking about that and whether there was any opportunity to do so over the final 13 games of their regular season.

Eight of Cleveland’s last 13 games will be at home and just five are against opponents with records above .500.

LeBron James, who played on Monday versus Miami with a slight knee injury, troubled lower back and a strained wrist that was re-aggravated when colliding with Hassan Whiteside, continued to put a higher priority on health that on the team’s seeding.

He said it was the coaching staff that would decide, but if it were he, he would not play for a seed he would just play and at the end of the season, they would see where they stand.

James is confident enough that once in the playoffs he and his teammates can win on any court.

Cleveland might have to win in Miami during the postseason and has lost both games on the court this season.

The Heat is currently 30-36 and tied with Indiana for the East’s No. 7 seed. If the season were to end like this, Cleveland would open the postseason against Miami.

Miami has 16 games remaining and eight will be played at home and eight are versus opponents that are .500 or better including another rematch with the Cavaliers.

The Heat said that James’ arrival in Miami creates different dynamics as he meant so much to the city and the players. Luol Deng said the energy builds when James is in town compared to other opponents.

James has put great priority in health and over the last month of the regular season feels, that health is the most important along with keeping a strong chemistry. With both of those at a high level, James says the Cavaliers will go far in the postseason.