Live Thread: Cavs @ Suns (#Zionized)

The team with the third worst record in the NBA visits the team with the second worst tonight in a pitched battle for ping pong balls bearing their logos on May 14th. Both the Cavs and the Suns are hoping to be the franchise to receive the positive charge of likely #1 overall pick, Zion Williamson, this summer. In all honesty, regardless of the outcome of this game, the positions of these two teams are unlikely to change. The Suns (17-60) are two games up (or down?) on the Cavs (19-58) for the second spot with four games remaining after this one. Meanwhile, the Cavs are two games up/down on the next worst team, the Bulls (21-56), and effectively three since Chicago has already won the season series. And, as long as these current slots stand, both Phoenix and Cleveland have an equal 14% chance to charge into the top spot for Zion.

Lottery dreams aside, there is another reason to stay up late for an otherwise meaningless April Fools Day tank battle… and that’s to watch a fun scoring duel between two young, dynamic guards. Devin Booker averaged 34 points per game in March, and has scored 157 points in the past three games. After dropping 50+ in the first two, he just barely missed the half-century mark for a third straight with 48 against Memphis on Saturday. Collin Sexton has been no slouch for the Cavs either. He had his best scoring month in March, averaging 22.4 points and shooting 51% from the field (41% from three now on the season).

The Suns will rest rookie Center, DeAndre Ayton, along with Tyler Johnson and TJ Warren, while Kevin Love is questionable for the Cavs with a sore shoulder and Matthew Dellavedova will miss his 12th straight game with a concussion.

Prediction: The scoring should be electric in this one, but it will be interesting to watch the tanking for Zion chessmatch that breaks out down the stretch. My guess is that the Suns will pull the plug before the Cavs do and hand Cleveland a 121-117 victory.

Put some coffee on and jolt yourself awake to catch all the action starting at 10pm EST on FSO and NBATV… and, as always give us your positive and negative comments below…