Live Thread: Heat @ Cavs

To say things aren’t going well right now for the Cleveland Cavaliers may be the understatement of 2018 so far. The team is just 3-7 in their last ten games, the defense is the worst in the NBA, the team chemistry is just as bad, and they just lost Kevin Love, their second-best player, for two months to a broken hand. Now, the Miami Heat, just a half game behind the Cavs for the third seed in the Eastern Conference, are in town looking to make a statement.

Since the Cavaliers are a very good 18-6 this season, one would assume that they would have the edge tonight. Technically that is true, as Vegas has them as two point favorites over the Heat. However, anyone that’s watched the Wine & Gold over the last month knows how absurd this line is. The Cavaliers struggle terribly on the second night of back-to-backs, struggle terribly against good teams, and struggle terribly to defend any team that gets out and runs in transition. The Heat, who are always in excellent physical condition, and have an elite coach in Erik Spoelstra, will undoubtedly try to take advantage of these facts.

The only reasons the Cavaliers are favored tonight is because the game is in Cleveland and they have LeBron James. With Love out, Miami arguably has the better player at four of five positions and is the more rested team, as the Cavaliers lost to the Pistons last night, while the Heat did not play.

If the Cavaliers have anything going for them tonight its that James and fellow former Heatle Dwyane Wade could very well be motivated to deliver big performances against their former team. But if the last month has taught us anything, it’s that normal motivators don’t always apply to this team.