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[Cleveland Cavaliers]

Report: Kevin Love interested in joining ‘glamor market’

Jim Rassol-Imagn Images

The former Cavalier may have his eyes on something more fashionable than The North Shore.

Pretty much the moment that Kevin Love was traded to the Utah Jazz as part of a three-team transaction, the expectation was that he would be bought out. Naturally, the salary-conscience Cleveland Cavaliers emerged as an interested team in Love’s services. But that does not appear to be in the cards.

The veteran forward is reportedly only interested in joining a “glamor market,” per Jake Fischer of Marc Stein’s Substack.

“So with Kevin Love, to my understanding, he really only wants to be in the big glamour markets,” said Fischer. “I do think it would mostly be something along the lines of Kevin Love going to a New York or a Los Angeles type of situation. So, we’ll see if that can materialize for him.”

While the fit with the Cavs makes sense, they likely are not on Love’s radar at this juncture. Even if the 36-year-old Love were to make an exception for the organization that he won a championship with, there is a roster crunch in Cleveland. The front office would probably have to decide between Love or veteran Tristan Thompson, who perhaps has slightly more utility right now as a backup center.

Love only played in 23 games last season for the Miami Heat, averaging just under 11 minutes per contest. Let’s be very clear: the Cavs are not getting even the post-LeBron version of Love back. He would be a Thompson-esque deep bench player who can play a few minutes here or there and stretch the floor and perhaps snag some rebounds. Love’s veteran stature, playoff experience, and quality of teammate would vastly outweigh what he can deliver on the floor at this stage of his career.

But you mean to tell me the place that Superman saves isn't a glamor city?

Source: https://www.fearthesword.com/2025/7...-in-joining-glamor-market-cleveland-cavaliers

 

[Cleveland Cavaliers]

Reviewing the effectiveness of the Cavs’ most-used lineups from last season

Cleveland’s depth allowed them to roll out many effective lineups last season.

The Cleveland Cavaliers’ depth was one of their main advantages last season. They were able to run out numerous and varied lineups that worked.

It also helped that their four best players — Darius Garland, Donovan Mitchell, Evan Mobley, and Jarrett Allen — played extremely well together. This all added up to a 64-win regular season.

Let’s take a look at Cleveland’s most-used lineups and what made them work.

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The starting five​

Lineup: Garland, Mitchell, Max Strus, Mobley, and Allen

Minutes played: 243

Offensive rating: 118.7 (57th percentile)

Defensive rating: 107.3 (74th percentile)

Net rating: +11.5 (67th percentile)

This group was an incredibly effective starting lineup despite not living up completely to their offensive potential. The offensive rating was good, but it suffered since this lineup simply wasn’t able to consistently hit outside shots (36%, 34th percentile).

This was a positive step for a lineup that struggled to find its rhythm the previous season (+2.3 net rating, 52nd percentile). There’s a lot of things that you could point to as reasons this happened, such as the offense being better under Kenny Atkinson, Allen and Mobley figuring out how to play with each other, and better health in the regular season, among others. But whatever the reason, this was encouraging to see.

Despite the progress in the regular season, this lineup struggled throughout the playoffs. They posted a -3.3 net rating (30th percentile) in the postseason with a 112 offensive rating (35th percentile) and a 115.3 defensive rating (35th percentile).

It’d be easy to point to Garland and Mobley’s injuries in their second-round series against the Indiana Pacers as reasons why they struggled. Neither were at full strength (even though Mobley looked better, he had a hard time moving laterally on defense) which naturally caused them to play worse. But this lineup also had a negative net rating against the Miami Heat in the two games they appeared in (-5.1 net rating) when the group was mostly healthy.

The Cavs as a whole will be judged by how they perform in the playoffs going forward. This starting lineup is no different. This group will need to be better in the postseason if Cleveland is going to ever replicate their regular-season success when the games matter most.

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The starters with Dean Wade​

Lineup: Garland, Mitchell, Wade, Mobley, and Allen

Minutes played: 197

Offensive rating: 117.8 (51st percentile)

Defensive rating: 112.7 (53rd percentile)

Net rating: +5.1 (54th percentile)

Wade did a good job filling in for Strus when he missed the start of the last regular season. Surprisingly, the offense was mostly just as effective. The defense, more surprisingly, was worse.

Cleveland’s defense has historically been good when its three best interior defenders share the floor (100th percentile in 2022-23 and ‘23-24). Why that didn’t carry over this past season is anyone’s guess.

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The starters with Isaac Okoro​

Lineup: Garland, Mitchell, Wade, Mobley, and Allen

Minutes played: 160

Offensive rating: 123.3 (71st percentile)

Defensive rating: 118 (32nd percentile)

Net rating: +5.3 (54th percentile)

Lineup data is weird. What you want to take from five-man groups is up to you, as there can be a lot of different factors for why things broke how they did.

One of the more surprising things from this exercise is finding out that Okoro with the starters performed incredibly well on offense and poorly on defense.

It’d be easy to point at this and to say that we shouldn’t make too much of this. But I do think there’s one thing worth pointing out from this lineup.

The Cavs were able to get out in transition more often with this group and were more effective when they did so. They scored 1.66 points per transition play (91st percentile) with this lineup. Okoro’s ability to get into the open court and finish there is a big reason for that success. For comparison, the starters with Strus only scored 1.17 points per transition play (32nd percentile).

Cleveland doesn’t have Okoro anymore, but getting out in the open court is something that they should be able to do with Lonzo Ball. This is an area that he’s excelled in throughout his career.

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Mobley + shooters = phenomenal offense​

Lineup: Mitchell, Caris LeVert, Sam Merrill, Georges Niang, Mobley

Minutes played: 84

Offensive rating: 129.3 (87th percentile)

Defensive rating: 92.8 (99th percentile)

Net rating: +36.5 (99th percentile)

Mobley showed that he can play with Allen this past season. The Cavs posted a +11.5 net rating when they shared the floor. That number jumped up slightly to +11.9 when Mobley was on without Allen.

Mobley’s progression as a shooter allowed for lineups where he’s the center to be truly five out. Groups with him and Niang were phenomenal as they posted a 122.4 offensive rating and outscored opponents by +12.8 points per 100 possessions.

The Cavs weren’t able to replicate that success as well with De’Andre Hunter as the power forward with Mobley at center. They worked better offensively (128 offensive rating, 99th percentile), but struggled on defense because they couldn’t get rebounds (30.7% offensive rebound allowance percentage, 16th percentile). Even though Niang isn’t known for his rebounding, he’s still significantly better than Hunter.

This is also a good argument for Wade getting more time at the four next to Mobley. Groups where he’s the four and Mobley is the five worked incredibly well (+14.7 net rating in 663 possessions). Even though Wade isn’t a willing shooter, he provides spacing and rebounding, which can take some of that burden off of Hunter.

Mobley’s best position is and will always be center. Figuring out the lineups that allow him to showcase his abilities, like this one did last season, is something Atkinson’s staff needs to continue to emphasize.

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The Caris LeVert effect​

Lineup: Garland, Mitchell, LeVert, Mobley, and Allen

Minutes played: 82

Offensive rating: 128.9 (86th percentile)

Defensive rating: 106 (78th percentile)

Net rating: +22.9 (89th percentile)

The Cavs were really good without LeVert on the court last season (+9.3 net rating), but they were even better with him on (+11.5 net rating). Most of that is due to Atkinson’s offensive philosophy that emphasizes players who can create offense in many different contexts.

Spacing has taken over the NBA. Having a power forward who can shoot is a prerequisite, not a luxury anymore. In a context where everyone can shoot, playmaking is what separates the good and great offensive lineups.

LeVert can be a frustrating player. The shot profile often left something to be desired, but he was exceptional this past season when he had a clearly defined role and the freedom to operate within it.

Trading him for Hunter was the right and understandable move, but it came at a cost. Ball handling could be an issue this upcoming season for a team that has lost LeVert and Ty Jerome while only replacing that skill with just Ball — who isn’t someone who necessarily creates his own shot, even though he’s an exceptional ball handler.

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The Cavs have the depth to put together many effective lineups this upcoming season. It’ll be interesting to see if Atkinson can replicate some of the success of these groups with different lineups this upcoming season.

Source: https://www.fearthesword.com/2025/7...rs-evan-mobley-dean-wade-max-strus-lonzo-ball

 

[Cleveland Cavaliers]

Cleveland Cavaliers need Darius Garland to put it all together

Photo by David Liam Kyle/NBAE via Getty Images

It’s time for Garland to prove it.

The Cleveland Cavaliers have seen some fantastic things from Darius Garland. But every step forward has seemingly come with a major setback. Next season, Garland needs to put it all together and leave his detractors in the dust.

DG got the nastiest hesi itl? pic.twitter.com/bp9nL4FyPo

— Brett Usher (@UsherNBA) July 27, 2025​

Garland’s career trajectory has been a roller coaster. He was once considered the worst rookie in his class. A few years later, he was a breakout All-Star who had the Cavs competing for a playoff spot in 2022. His stock fell again after a poor showing in the 2023 playoffs, followed by a nightmarish 2023-24 season.

Anyone who held out faith in Garland after 2024 was rewarded throughout the 2025 regular season. Garland rocketed to another All-Star season and was bordering on an All-NBA nod before faltering a bit in the second half of the year. Nonetheless, Garland’s electric 2024-25 campaign put him back into everyone’s good graces. Then... the playoffs happened.

We all understand that Garland’s postseason run was derailed by a toe injury. There was little chance Garland could replicate his on-ball magic without the mobility and shiftiness his game relies on. No one is destroying Garland for his performances against Indiana. We understand he wasn’t anywhere near full strength.

However, all of the twists and turns have left Garland’s career at a crossroads. He’s now underperformed in every postseason appearance. Injuries can explain two of those failures. Inexperience in his first run can justify the other. But at a certain point — you run out of explanations. Garland’s entering a pivotal year for his reputation.

There’s no way around it. If he gets injured again? Then you can’t reasonably trust Garland to stay healthy anymore. If he is healthy but underwhelms? Then you have bigger problems, such as, who can the Cavs find to play point guard moving forward?

The only way Garland walks away from next season as a winner is if he takes all of the flashes he’s shown in recent years and finally puts them together for a full-on fireworks show in the playoffs. He has to be the dazzling playmaker and shot creator he’s proven to be in the regular season.

This is true for everyone on the roster. The Cavs aren’t a fun story anymore. They’ve surpassed all regular season expectations and currently have a rivalry with the second round. No one is happy with that. Finding a way to translate their success to the postseason is what’s on everyone’s mind.

Garland should be at the front of this. He’s put on dominant displays in the regular season — but is still searching for his first playoff moment. This is the year DG needs to show he’s more than an occasional flash in the pan. It’s time for Garland to break through.

Source: https://www.fearthesword.com/2025/7...rs-need-darius-garland-to-put-it-all-together

 

[Cleveland Cavaliers]

Cleveland Cavaliers: Jaylon Tyson has a golden opportunity

Photo by Logan Riely/NBAE via Getty Images

Tyson can earn minutes this season.

Young NBA players, specifically those still trying to find their place in the league, can seldom afford to miss capitalizing on opportunities to prove themselves. Jaylon Tyson will get a fair shot at earning minutes this season with the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Tyson was the 20th overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft. He had a stellar summer in Las Vegas before finding himself out of the rotation for his entire rookie year in Cleveland. This was primarily because the Cavaliers were on fire, winning 64 games and hardly needing a rookie guard to play minutes.

Next season will be different. Not only is Tyson a year older and carrying slightly heavier expectations — but the Cavs rotation should have more openings. Isaac Okoro is gone. Lonzo Ball, who is filling his place, has never been known for his availability. Pair this with losing Ty Jerome in free agency and an injury to Darius Garland that could hold him out for the first month of the season — and Tyson will have the largest runway of his career (so far).

Tyson is a 6’5” combo guard whose best moments in both Las Vegas Summer Leagues have come with him handling the ball. This is slightly concerning as his primary role with the Cavs would be playing without the rock, serving more as a catch-and-shoot threat who can occasionally create for himself.

Today’s NBA calls for versatility. Tyson, while early in his development, already has the foundations of a creator. He processes the floor well and has a competent enough handle to get to his spots. Polishing this aspect of his game while improving as a three-point shooter would make him a complete role player.

Just as important, Tyson must become an impactful defender. His bulky frame and decent athleticism give Tyson the tools to defend at the NBA level. But his motor and knack for tracking down rebounds could be the difference maker. Every team needs a scrappy role player who isn’t afraid to get his hands dirty on the glass.

Tyson has the potential to be a positive contributor on both ends of the floor. He’ll get a chance to sink or swim early on this season. If Tyson pans out, the Cavaliers will have a wealth of depth in their backcourt.

Source: https://www.fearthesword.com/2025/7...valiers-jaylon-tyson-has-a-golden-opportunity

 

[Cleveland Cavaliers]

Cavs release preseason schedule

Photo by Nick Cammett/Getty Images

The Cavs will be back in action during the first week of October.

The NBA regular season schedule hasn’t been released yet. But we do know when the Cleveland Cavaliers will next take the court.

Cleveland’s preseason schedule was announced earlier today. The dates and time can be seen below:

• Home vs. the Chicago Bulls - Tuesday, Oct. 7, 7 P.M.
• Away vs. Chicago - Thursday, Oct. 9, 8 P.M.
• Away vs. the Boston Celtics - Sunday, Oct. 12, 7 P.M.
• Home vs. the Detroit Pistons - Tuesday, Oct. 14, 7 P.M.

There isn’t too much that immediately jumps out about this schedule. These are just preseason games. The opponent doesn’t matter too much in this context. The Cavs went 0-4 last preseason and then went on to win their first 15 games of the regular season. So, there isn’t too much to take away from the results.

One thing I would note is that the Cavs don’t have to wait long to face former teammate Isaac Okoro. He’ll get two opportunities to go against his former team with the Cavs taking on the Bulls twice in a row to open the exhibition slate. The same is true for Lonzo Ball.

We still have over two months before the preseason starts. Before then, we’ll have media day and the start of training camp. We are getting closer to basketball starting up again.

Source: https://www.fearthesword.com/2025/7...-chicago-bulls-boston-celtics-detroit-pistons

 

[Cleveland Cavaliers]

Larry Nance Jr. fits anything Cleveland’s frontcourt needs

Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images

Nance could have a big impact on the Cavs.

The Cleveland Cavaliers haven’t been super aggressive this summer. They’ve only made a handful of moves. The most notable include trading Isaac Okoro for Lonzo Ball and signing Larry Nance Jr. to a veteran minimum deal.

We’re focusing on the latter move for today’s story.

Nance is entering his 11th NBA season and has played for six different franchises. He’s an athletic, 6’8” forward who has developed into a functional floor-spacer and quality rebounder. All of these skills translate directly to what the Cavaliers need.

Cleveland’s done a fine job filling out their roster with three-point specialists over the years. They even addressed their lack of a small forward by trading for De’Andre Hunter in February. But one thing they haven’t been able to find is a backup big. Nance can finally check that box for them.

Last season, Nance averaged 8.5 points, 4.3 rebounds and 1.6 assists in 19.3 minutes per game for the Atlanta Hawks. He only appeared in 24 games after suffering a season-ending shoulder injury.

At his best, Nance provides Cleveland with a rotational big who can play next to either Jarrett Allen or Evan Mobley. He’s got the offensive versatility to roam in the dunker’s spot or stand on the perimeter. He’s even shown enough playmaking to be a PNR partner with any of the Cavaliers’ ball handlers. Nance pairs well with Donovan Mitchell, Darius Garland, Lonzo Ball or Max Strus. Really, he’s a good fit with anyone on this roster.

That’s what makes Nance so helpful. He’s a plug-and-play forward who, when healthy, can give the Cavs' bench whatever they need. Whether it’s cleaning the glass or serving as another wing defender — Nance is a servicable option for the end of any team’s rotation.

Staying available is the key. Nance hasn’t been the most durable player throughout his career. But if he’s able to play, Nance gives Cleveland a third big for the first time since Kevin Love. The value of giving Mobley and Allen some depth behind them can’t be overstated.

Mobley took a huge step forward last season. He might be able to take another if the Cavs continue to prioritize his development. Lineups that feature Mobley at center — with a true power forward next to him (Nance) — could unlock a new layer of Mobley’s game.

Of course, adding Nance won’t put this team over the top. Only the core four can do that. Specifically, Mobley himself. Having Nance only helps them navigate a long regular season and gives Kenny Atkinson some lineup versatility in a playoff series. That’s nothing to scoff at.

Source: https://www.fearthesword.com/2025/7...-jr-fits-anything-clevelands-frontcourt-needs

 

[Cleveland Cavaliers]

Random Cavalier of the Week: Nate Thurmond

Photo by Dick Raphael/NBAE via Getty Images

Taking a look back at a local legend.

We’ll be highlighting a random Cleveland Cavaliers player from the past every Monday for the remainder of the offseason. The first Cavalier we’re taking a look at is Hall-of-Famer and local legend Nate Thurmond.

Thurmond is one of seven Cavalier players who have their jersey retired. Unlike the rest, his number isn’t really retired for what he did on the court for Cleveland.

Thurmond played only 114 games for the Cavs and averaged just 5 points and 6.3 rebounds per contest in mostly a backup center role. That, obviously, isn’t too impressive. But there is a reason why his number is retired by the Cavs.

Thurmond was the first Hall-of-Fame player from Akron to make it big in the NBA. He was a standout at Central High School, where he played alongside another NBA player, Gus Johnson. Thurmond went to college at Bowling Green after turning down a scholarship from Ohio State.

This worked out well as Thurmond became a first-team All-American, led the Falcons to two tournament bids, and was good enough to be drafted third overall by the Golden State Warriors, then the San Francisco Warriors.

Thurmond was a backup to Wilt Chamberlain in his rookie season. That didn’t last long as the Warriors traded Chamberlain to the Philadelphia 76ers, which allowed Thurmond to make his way into the starting lineup. Thurmond thrived in that role as he became known as one of the best centers in the league.

Defense was Thurmond’s calling card. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar called him the toughest defender he faced. The rest of the league saw that as well as he was named to an All-Defensive and All-Star team seven times in his career. That was good enough to be selected to both the 50th and 75th NBA anniversary teams.

Thurmond was well past his prime when he finished his career with his hometown team. He didn’t have the mobility that made him one of the best defensive centers of his time anymore, but he still managed to play a supporting role on one of the most important teams in franchise history.

The Miracle at Richfield team that took down the Washington Bullets was a seminal moment for the franchise. It was their first true accomplishment since being an expansion team six years earlier. It was also their only real success until the Mark Price and Brad Daugherty era.

Thurmond played a reserve role in the seven-game series win over the Bullets. He was thrust into a starting role in the Eastern Conference Finals against the Boston Celtics in 1976 because of an injury to Jim Chones. He performed well, but the team fell short in Game 7. Boston would go on to win the Finals in six games over the Phoenix Suns.

The Cavs do have some questionable jerseys that have been retired. Thurmond is one of them as his on-court impact with Cleveland was minimal. That said, he was one of the best players in his era and a local legend. Thurmond’s impact on Ohio basketball is meaningful. That, combined with what he was able to provide for one of the franchise’s most memorable teams is something worth honoring.

Thurmond passed away in 2016 from leukemia.

Source: https://www.fearthesword.com/2025/8...thurmond-akron-cavs-random-player-of-the-week

 

[Cleveland Cavaliers]

Cleveland Cavaliers: Optimizing De’Andre Hunter

Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images

Hunter has yet to be maximized.

Trading for De’Andre Hunter in the middle of the 2024-25 season was perhaps the biggest move the Cleveland Cavaliers have made since selling the farm for Donovan Mitchell in 2022. Hunter fit all of the theoretical boxes this team had been missing — but there wasn’t enough time for him to grow into that role last season.

Can Hunter make good on his potential in his first full season with the Cavs?

Cleveland has long needed a true small forward with legit size and athleticism who can hang on both ends of the floor. Max Strus has been formidable, but he lacks the size to be a full-time option. Isaac Okoro also lacked size, as well as the offensive skills to make things work. And the Cavs hit a dead end with Dean Wade, as he’s simply not a starting-caliber player.

All of this points to the obvious. Hunter should be the Cavaliers' starting small forward next season.

He’s a 6’8” athlete with a 7’2” wingspan and a strong enough frame to competently defend opposing wings. Hunter is a physical tool the Cavs have been missing. Why would they deprave themselves of this any longer?

It made some sense why the Cavs stuck to their original starting five last season. The team won 64 games and Strus was consistently playing above his head as a makeshift small forward. His ability to space the floor and serve as a tertiary playmaker makes Strus a better-than-expected fit in the starting lineup.

But Strus can effectively do all of those same things from the bench. In fact, he’ll have more opportunity to handle the ball and play in tandem with Evan Mobley, Donovan Mitchell, Jarrett Allen or Darius Garland when he’s not crowded by all of them at once. A bench lineup featuring Strus at the two and Mobley at the five should make for an effective combination.

Again, it’s understandable why Kenny Atkinson didn’t erase his drawing board and reconfigure his rotations in the middle of last season when everything was going exactly as planned. Hunter was cementing an already strong bench — and Strus was complementing a starting lineup that was crushing opponents.

Hindsight tells us this was a mistake.

The Strus starting-five finished in the 67th percentile for Net Rating. That’s fairly underwhelming for a team that won 64 games. Meanwhile, Hunter, next to the core-four was perfect, placing in the 100th percentile in only 73 possessions.

It was a mistake not to tap deeper into that lineup. How much of their success would translate to a larger sample size? They certainly would have fallen below the 100th percentile — but they’d likely still be elite. Exploring fewer than 100 possessions with this lineup together was a fatal mistake.

Next season can’t afford the same mistake. Hunter makes too much sense as the ‘finishing touch’ to stay on the bench. Maybe this road leads to a dead end — and maybe Strus will ultimately return to the fray as the starter. But not having an answer to this would be unacceptable.

A full year of Hunter being in Cleveland should bring clarity. They’ll be able to work with him in training camp and the early stages of the season to find the best fit. It won’t be as hectic as his mid-season arrival that came during a historic run for the franchise.

The Cavs have remained patient with every move they’ve made. It makes sense that they followed the same line of thinking with Hunter. But there’s no more time for caution. It’s time to throw everything at the wall and find what sticks. Hunter needs to be optimized as a starter next season.

Source: https://www.fearthesword.com/2025/8/4/24480873/cleveland-cavaliers-optimizing-deandre-hunter

 

[Cleveland Cavaliers]

Cavs get unfortunate injury update on Darius Garland

Cleveland Cavaliers point guard Darius Garland is not expected to break ready for training camp in a few months as he continues to recover from toe surgery, according to Chris Fedor of cleveland.com. Garland suffered the toe injury in March, missed a few games before returning, and re-injured the toe in the first round of the playoffs against the Miami Heat. Despite coming back in the semifinals against the Indiana Pacers, Garland looked a step slow and out of sync.

As it turns out, there was a good reason for that. Garland reportedly felt like he was playing with nine toes towards the end of the season.

“I got my 10th toe back,” Garland said via Fedor. “I had no big toe at the end of last season. I had like nine toes. I felt like I was playing with nine toes. That’s how I would describe it.”

“Any type of movement was tough. Putting on a shoe was tough. Walking. Running. It was difficult.”

Garland essentially not having a functional big toe would explain why he looked so off against the Pacers. While disappointing that he was able to remain relatively injury free until it counted, it is somewhat relieving that it was injury related as opposed to simply not playing well. The nature of the surgery he received remains shrouded in mystery, but what is clear is that he will not be ready for training camp.

When asked if Garland will be full-go within the next few months, Cavs head coach Kenny Atkinson simply said he doesn’t.

“That’s not a medical opinion or anything,” Atkinson told Fedor. “That’s just my feeling on the situation. Under promise and over deliver. We’re not going to rush or push this. If he is ready, then great. I will rely on (Senior Director of Player Health/Head Athletic Trainer) Steve (Spiro) and Darius to tell me. But I don’t expect that.”

Those are pretty plainly put statements from Atkinson, and ones that demonstrate just how serious the injury to Garland was and how methodical his recover will be as a result. The Cavs may be relying on Lonzo Ball and Craig Porter Jr. out of the gate, as well as some Donovan Mitchell point guard minutes until Garland is fully ready to go.

Source: https://www.fearthesword.com/2025/8...nd-not-expected-to-be-ready-for-training-camp

 

[Cleveland Cavaliers]

Welcome to the new Fear The Sword: A fresh look, fewer ads and a new feature

Things will look a little different around here today.

A few weeks ago we told you something new was coming to Fear The Sword and today it’s here. Things are cleaner, faster and easier to use. There are the same writers, coverage, comments, and community you’ve come to rely on, now with less clutter and clunkiness.

Let’s dive in. If you scroll down the page on your phone or computer, it’s smoother. You’ll notice that the most talked-about stories have a bigger font displaying the number of comments. You’ll also see a section called Active Conversations to point you to the busiest conversations right now.

But there’s two changes we’re most excited to tell you about:

Fewer ads for logged-in users​

Our loyal readers and commenters are the heartbeat of our communities, and with this new design we’re excited to offer them fewer ads when they’re logged in. Specifically:

• Video players will no longer chase you down the page. Just scroll past one and it will be gone.
• Full page pop-ups that would sometimes interrupt your commenting experience have been disabled.

You can log in or sign up here and check it out.

A new feature by the community, for the community: The Feed​

Today we’re launching a brand new space for you to come together. The Feed is a running stream of posts and updates from you, the community, mixed in with links and updates from the team and our staff. Think of it as our community’s group text where you can easily grab your phone and share a link to a story, post a question or write your own post on the day’s news.

You can find it in two places:

• On the homepage, adjacent to the top stories. Community participation is core to who we are, so we want it right on the front page to share your stuff.
• A devoted homepage for The Feed where you can see the full stream of posts coming in from the community. You might want to bookmark that.

Log in or sign up here and you can start posting on The Feed and seeing fewer ads immediately.

Today’s launch is a big deal for our community, and it’s also a kickoff of broader efforts to build around the community we have here. Soon you’ll get alerts when someone replies to your comment or your post on The Feed, with more to come thereafter. We want to put the community in the driver’s seat, so let us know what you want in the comments below or in The Feed.

If you want to dig into more of this updated experience, head over to this post on sbnation.com from SB Nation’s Head of Product Ed Clinton, where he expands on the changes in our ads and design. Ed will be responding to questions in the comments. If you have any questions about how to log in to our new system, check out this article from last week.

Source: https://www.fearthesword.com/fear-t...word-a-fresh-look-fewer-ads-and-a-new-feature

 

[Cleveland Cavaliers]

Former teammate hinted at a possible Kevin Love reunion with Cavs

Former Cleveland Cavalaiers forward Kevin Love is a free agent after the Miami Heat traded him to the Utah Jazz, who then bought out his contract. Recent reporting has suggested that Love is looking to play in a “glamor market” with New York or Los Angeles as the type of cities he’d prefer to go to.

Whether or not that reporting is completely accurate remains to be seen. At the very least, his former teammate on the 2016 championship team, Channing Frye, hinted that landing in Los Angeles may not be his desired destination.

https://t.co/llxp3XgWd3 pic.twitter.com/WjhThXNEPk

— Channing Frye (@channingfrye) August 6, 2025

He then went on to reply to a tweet asking if a reunion with Cleveland could be in the cards. Frye responded with a somewhat cryptic GIF that seems to indicate the door isn’t completely closed on that.

https://t.co/yXPSzM0jfb pic.twitter.com/dqgz6Rqd5i

— Channing Frye (@channingfrye) August 6, 2025

The Cavs do have room to add Love if they want. They have two open roster spots and will likely fill one of those before the start of next season. That said, Love may not want the role that the Cavaliers could offer.

Cleveland has bolstered their front-court depth by signing Larry Nance Jr. this offseason. If the team is fully healthy, you’d think that both Nance and Dean Wade would be ahead of Love on the depth chart. If Love did return, he’d likely play a role similar to what Tristan Thompson did last season.

Even though Love is still a skilled passer and shooter, the rest of his game has fallen off drastically, which is what you’d expect for someone who’s about to turn 37 years old. Love posted career lows in points (5.3), assists (1), rebounds (4.1), and minutes (10.9) last season.

We’ll see where Love ends up next season. Even though he isn’t the player he once was, it’d still be fun to see the future Hall-of-Famer on the roster for one last championship-contention run in Cleveland.

Source: https://www.fearthesword.com/cavs-r...-kevin-love-channing-frye-cleveland-cavaliers

 

[Cleveland Cavaliers]

It’s now or never for Dean Wade

Cleveland Cavaliers forward Dean Wade has one of the most valuable skill sets for an NBA role player. He’s an elite defensive forward who can hold his own guarding three through five, is a superb rebounder, and is a career 40% three-point shooter.

Those are the type of players who can earn $12 to $15 million a season. That’s why the Houston Rockets were reportedly willing to give Wade the full mid-level exception if the Cavs had been amenable to moving him. Whether that money was available or will be again next summer when his contract is up depends on how this year goes.

Despite the elite defensive skill, Wade isn’t someone you can automatically trust in high-leverage situations because of his unwillingness to shoot the three-ball.

The playoffs often come down to who can attack their opponent’s weak links best. Wade has been one on offense. He registered an extraordinarily low 10.4 usage percentage this past season and attempted just 14 threes and 18 field-goal attempts in 142 playoff minutes. That isn’t going to cut it.

Even if you’re a good shooter — like Wade is — there’s no reason to actually cover him. Defenses don’t guard players because they have good on-off splits or because their numbers look good on a spreadsheet. They guard players they know will burn them if they leave them open. That hasn’t been Wade. Because of that, playoff defenses have been able to effectively play four-on-five when he’s on the court.

This is part of the reason why Wade was playing less than 10 minutes a game at the start of the playoffs before injuries forced him fully back into the rotation.

The Cavs know this issue well. They’ve been dealing with it for multiple years now. They spent last season talking about it. Unfortunately when the games mattered, Wade still wasn’t confident enough to pull the trigger.

Wade has the skillset of someone who should make the ownership group think long and hard about re-signing next summer even though it would cost them an exorbitant amount of money in luxury cap payments. However, right now, he’s someone who could be jumped in the rotation by a minimum contract player in Larry Nance Jr. because Nance is going to be a willing participant in an offense. This isn’t a conversation that we should be having based on the current skill level of both.

The Cavs, and nearly every team in the league, need the type of player Wade has the skills to be. That said, it’s difficult to believe that Wade can put it all together on the offensive end. And that all comes back to his hesitancy to shoot despite having a good shot.

Fool me once, shame on you. … You can’t get fooled again.

We’ve been fooled once, twice, or even three times. The onus is on Wade to show that he can actually be more.

This season could be Wade’s last real chance to cash in and show he can be a valuable rotation player worthy of a mid-level contract. All he needs to do is confidentially shoot the ball whenever he has the daylight to do so.

It’s truly now or never for Wade.

Source: https://www.fearthesword.com/cavs-a...dean-wade-cleveland-cavaliers-houston-rockets

 

[Cleveland Cavaliers]

Cavs to play on Christmas for first time in eight years

The Cleveland Cavaliers will be returning to the Christmas Day NBA slate for the first time in nearly a decade. According to ESPN’s Shams Charania, they will take on the New York Knicks for the first of five games that day.

NBA Christmas Day 2025 on ABC and ESPN, per sources:

– Cleveland Cavaliers at New York Knicks

– San Antonio Spurs at Oklahoma City Thunder

– Houston Rockets at LA Lakers

– Dallas Mavericks at Golden State Warriors

– Minnesota Timberwolves at Denver Nuggets

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) August 8, 2025

Christmas Day games aren’t what they used to be. The NFL has come in and taken much of the NBA’s shine away from those matchups. However, this is still a time when the league tries to showcase its best times. The Cavs are clearly one of them and are rightfully being recognized as such.

It is noteworthy that the Cavs and Knicks are the only Eastern Conference teams with a Christmas game. The other eight participants are in the Western Conference, which speaks to how lopsided the balance of power is between the two conferences.

The rest of the Cavs’ schedule is expected to be released soon. We do know that they aren’t one of the opening night showcase games, as those slots were also taken by Western Conference teams.

Cleveland took care of business against the Knicks last season. They were 4-0 against New York which included two impressive wins at Madison Square Garden.

This will be the 15th time the Cavaliers have played on Christmas. They’re currently 7-7 in those games while being 6-0 at home and 1-7 on the road.

The Cavs last played on Christmas in 2017 when they lost to the Warriors. Their most recent road Christmas win was 2009 when they defeated the Los Angeles Lakers 102-87.

Source: https://www.fearthesword.com/cavs-n...stmas-day-new-york-knicks-cleveland-cavaliers

 

[Cleveland Cavaliers]

Date for LeBron James and Lakers return to Cleveland revealed

The NBA hasn’t released its full schedule yet, but we’re starting to get some details about some of its marquee games. We know that the Cleveland Cavaliers will be taking on the New York Knicks on Christmas. It will be the first time in eight years they’ve played on the holiday. Now, we also know when they will host the Los Angeles Lakers and presumably LeBron James.

ESPN’s Dave McMenamin has reported that the Lakers are scheduled to play in Cleveland on January 28 this upcoming season.

The Los Angeles Lakers play on the road against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Jan. 28, sources told ESPN. It is LeBron James’ lone trip back to The Land on the schedule and this one comes 10 years after capturing the 2016 NBA championship with the Cavs.

— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) August 9, 2025

There is a lot of uncertainty around LeBron’s future right now. James is going into his 23rd season in the league and his eighth as a Laker. It’s rare for someone to play as long as James has, and he has hinted at retirement in the past.

That said, his level of play hasn’t indicated that retirement is around the corner, even though he seems to be devoting a lot of time to golf nowadays. James is still playing at an All-NBA level as he was voted to the second team this past season after averaging 24.4 points, 8.2 assists, and 7.8 rebounds in 70 games.

Despite the good play, LeBron may not fit into the Lakers’ immediate or long-term future. It appears that they’re building around Luka Doncic and have recently convinced him to sign an extension in Los Angeles. James opted into his $52.6 million contract for next season with Los Angeles, but he was reportedly not offered an extension and seemingly didn’t ask for one.

We don’t know how the next year will play out, but it’s clear that James is in an unprecedented time in his career. This meeting in Cleveland in January could be the last time he plays a professional game in the arena he called home for 11 years. Or, it could just be the last time he plays there wearing purple and gold. Or, it could be neither. We simply don’t know.

What we do know is that this will be the 10th anniversary of the 2016 championship team that came back from a 3-1 deficit to defeat the 73-win Golden State Warriors in the NBA Finals. Those Finals will forever be the signature moment of James’s career. I’m sure that achievement will be celebrated — as it always is — when he’s in the building again this January.

The Cavs are 5-19 against James’s teams during his career. Two of those five wins came last season when the Cavs swept their two-game home and away set with the Lakers.

Source: https://www.fearthesword.com/cavs-n...gular-season-schedule-nba-cleveland-cavaliers

 

[Cleveland Cavaliers]

Random Cavalier of the Week: Timofey Mozgov

Each week during August and September we’ll be taking a look at a random Cleveland Cavaliers player from the past. This time, we highlight Russian center Timofey Mozgov who played a necessary role on the 2016 championship team.

The Cavs were a mess in the winter of 2014-15. They had a losing record midway through January, LeBron James briefly left the team to “rehab” in Miami, Kevin Love wasn’t fitting with the core group, and David Blatt was in way over his head as a coach.

Things were simply bad and needed to change.

General manager David Griffin made two drastic moves to alter the course of that season. First, he sent out Dion Waiters — who very clearly didn’t fit with the rest of the team — for J.R. Smith and Iman Shumpert. Two days later, he added Mozgov from the Denver Nuggets in exchange for two protected first-round picks.

Mozgov made an immediate impact. He replaced the injured Anderson Varejao as the starting center and provided some much-needed rim protection for a team that couldn’t consistently get defensive stops.

Mozgov also helped on the other end by being a solid interior scorer. He averaged 10.6 points and 6.9 rebounds in 46 outings with the Cavs in 2015. The team went from being 19-16 at the time they traded for him to being 34-13 after the deal.

Injuries caught up to the Cavs in the playoffs. Love was injured in the first round series against the Boston Celtics and Kyrie Irving was sidelined after Game 1 of the NBA Finals against the Golden State Warriors (which might not have happened if Mozgov wasn’t called for a questionable traveling violation in the fourth quarter on what would’ve been a made basket). The Cavs put up a good fight in the Finals as they took games 2 and 3, but they couldn’t keep up with the Warriors’ small-ball lineup.

Golden State changed basketball and particularly how the center position was played. Mozgov was a traditional center who couldn’t keep up with the Warriors’ five-out offense. Cleveland didn’t have anyone else to turn to in the 2015 Finals, but this stylistic change influenced his second season in Cleveland.

Mozgov was moved to the bench during the middle of the 2016 season in favor of Tristan Thompson who matched up much better with the Warriors. Mozgov only played sparingly in the 2016 Finals. Game 3 was the only time he saw non-garbage-time minutes.

The Los Angeles Lakers gave Mozgov a gigantic, at the time, four-year $64 million deal the following offseason. That contract didn’t age well as the league continued to embrace the small-ball revolution.

Even though Mozgov didn’t play a big role in the 2016 Finals, he was an important contributor to that era of Cavs’ basketball. His addition went a long way in changing the trajectory of the 2015 season. There’s no guarantee 2016 happens if the Cavs weren’t able to right the ship the year prior. Mozgov is partially to thank for that.

Source: https://www.fearthesword.com/cup-of...and-cavaliers-lebron-james-los-angeles-lakers

 

[Cleveland Cavaliers]

Cavs get trio of nationally-televised games

The NBA regular season is right around the corner, and the betting favorites to win the Eastern Conference will be shown on the national stage plenty. With the slow trickle of nationally-televised games being announced, the Cleveland Cavaliers have had their name pop up already.

We already know that the Cavs will be rejoining the NBA’s prestigious Christmas Day slate, but the NBA announced that they will also be part of ESPN’s opening week games, NBC’s first Peacock-exclusive games, and on the Martin Luther King Jr. Day schedule as well.

The Cavs will play the New York Knicks on October 22nd on ESPN, potentially Cleveland’s first game of the season. The two teams, likely the top two teams in the conference this season, will also face off on Christmas Day.

Knicks open their season at home vs Cavs on Oct. 22 in nationally televised game (ESPN) pic.twitter.com/J7mZPJSwiY

— Ian Begley (@IanBegley) August 12, 2025

There is a new stage this year as well, with NBC joining the fray to replace Turner Sports and TNT. The Cavs will be on Peacock’s first exclusive block of games on October 27th and will travel to Detroit to play the Pistons.

Peacock will stream up to three NBA games nationwide on Monday nights throughout the regular season, starting with a doubleheader on Oct. 27. pic.twitter.com/zNr50ytWXq

— NBA Communications (@NBAPR) August 12, 2025

And finally, the Cavs will play the defending NBA champion Oklahoma City Thunder on MLK Day as part of a four-game national slate once again on Peacock. The Cavs and Thunder played on ESPN twice last season, and it would be surprising to not see both of their matchups eventually put on the national schedule barring some calamity with either team.

NBC Sports will present four games on Martin Luther King Jr. Day (Monday, Jan. 19). pic.twitter.com/MXmoguIkId

— NBA Communications (@NBAPR) August 12, 2025

While the full schedules and nationally-televised games have not yet been announced, the Cavs should expect to get more of them. With the Eastern Conference so depleted due to injuries, Cleveland moves up to be the premier team. It helps that they won 64 games last season and brought back almost their entire team.

The full schedule is expected to be released on Thursday of this week, according to Marc Stein.

Source: https://www.fearthesword.com/cavs-n...valiers-new-york-knicks-oklahoma-city-thunder

 

[Cleveland Cavaliers]

Two Cavs disrespected by NBA 2K 26 ratings

NBA 2K 26 is teasing its player ratings ahead of the new game’s release. The official 2K social media accounts have been releasing top-10 lists for various attributes. Notably, two Cleveland Cavaliers have been omitted from multiple lists.

Neither Darius Garland or Donovan Mitchell landed in 2K’s top 10 for ball-handling. The two elite guards fall behind names such as Luka Doncic, Devin Booker and Kevin Durant at the backend of the list. Former Cavalier Kyrie Irving ranks first in this year’s edition with a perfect 99 overall.

Watch your ankles

The Top 10 players with the tightest handles in #NBA2K26 pic.twitter.com/QCK0MPL9mF

— NBA 2K (@NBA2K) August 12, 2025

It’s a bit shocking to see both Garland and Mitchell miss the cut. They are two of the most skilled ball-handlers in the association. Mitchell might have the best sham-god move in today’s NBA, while Garland’s hesitation and herky-jerky style allow him to navigate the floor as well as anyone.

This is where 2K’s ratings can be hard to decipher. Does anyone actually think Booker has a better handle than Garland or Mitchell? Sure, Durant has one of the greatest handles of all time for his size. But is there anything he can do (as far as dribbling) that Garland can’t? The game has never cared to clarify its own rating scale.

Elite from long range

Here are your Top 10 shooters from beyond the arc in #NBA2K26 pic.twitter.com/AECIhLjaFy

— NBA 2K (@NBA2K) August 11, 2025

The snubs don’t end there. Garland and Mitchell are both absent from 2K’s top-10 three-point shooting list, as well. Mitchell finished with the 12th most three-pointers last season while Garland placed in the league’s 84th percentile for three-point shooting. Both guards failed to make the top-10 for mid-range scoring — even though Garland ranked in the 90th percentile from this zone.

Money with the middies

These are the best mid-range bucket getters in #NBA2K26 pic.twitter.com/HOYcTAsGU7

— NBA 2K (@NBA2K) August 11, 2025

Let me be clear, I’m past the age where I actually care about any of these things. NBA 2K can rate players however it wants. But as long as there’s no actual basketball to talk about — then this type of discourse will have to suffice.

Source: https://www.fearthesword.com/cavs-analysis/38545/two-cavs-disrespected-by-nba-2k-26-ratings

 

[Cleveland Cavaliers]

Cavs announce 2026 NBA Cup schedule

The Cleveland Cavaliers have announced their schedule for the upcoming season’s NBA Cup tournament. They’ll play four group games against Toronto, Washington, Indiana and Atlanta.

pic.twitter.com/E1JqjKvIzH

— Cleveland Cavaliers (@cavs) August 13, 2025

Cleveland will play two games at home and two on the road. It all starts on Halloween, when the Cavs host the Toronto Raptors for their first game of the group stage. We’ve learned that the margin for error is essentially zero, with most teams needing a flawless record to advance to the knockout rounds.

The Cavs haven’t made it out of the group phase yet. They failed to place last season, even after they began the year with a 17-3 record. Two of those losses were in Cup games, losing to Boston and Atlanta.

They won’t have to worry about the Celtics this year. Not only are the Celtics in a different group — but Boston has undergone some serious roster changes since last season. The biggest threat in Cleveland’s group this year will be the Hawks.

Atlanta torched the Cavs in consecutive games last year, so it’s fitting they’ll be the final team on their cup schedule. If the Cavs take care of business against Toronto, Washington and Indiana, then the Hawks will be their final hurdle.

Advancing to the knockout round — or even winning the Cup — is not that important. We’ve seen that winning this tournament does not carry over to success in the playoffs. Can you even remember who won it in the previous two years? (It was the Milwaukee Bucks last year and the Los Angeles Lakers before them.)

Still, this is a Cavs team that is hungry to win anything outside of a regular-season setting. Winning the Cup would boost morale, if nothing else.

Source: https://www.fearthesword.com/cavs-news/38555/cavs-announce-2026-nba-cup-schedule

 

[Cleveland Cavaliers]

You’ll never guess who the NBA thinks is the Cavs rival

The NBA under Adam Silver has tried various gimmicks to spice up the regular season. The NBA Cup, the 65-game minimum requirement for individual awards, and the Play-In Tournament are just a few examples of this. “Rivals Week” might be the most contrived of them all.

The NBA has 11 matchups between January 20 and 24 that they’re calling “Rivals Week.” It’s difficult to come four or five good matchups that you could consider a rivalry. The amount of player movement makes it difficult for rivalries to build up organically. Most of the matchups that we think of as rivalries are actually just players that we want to see face up. And, considering divisions are basically meaningless, there isn’t the regional animosity that builds up in baseball or football, where your divisional opponents greatly impact your playoff chances. Coming up with this many rivalry games isn’t an enviable task.

That said, you could’ve found a few better opponents for the Cleveland Cavaliers than the Charlotte Hornets.

Classic and budding rivalries between teams and players will be the focus of 11 national games over five days during NBA Rivals Week from Jan. 20-24.

NBA Schedule Release presented by @Ticketmaster pic.twitter.com/J91gLj3wBa

— NBA Communications (@NBAPR) August 14, 2025

Some of the other matchups are a little forced, but none more so than the Cavs and Hornets. The justification for this one is that it’ll be a showdown between the Ball brothers, Lonzo and LaMelo. But, I’m not sure how bankable that matchup really is. They aren’t twins or both starters like with the Thompson brothers with the Detroit Pistons and Houston Rockets. This seems like more of an interesting footnote and not something to build a whole event around.

There’s nothing aside from the Ball brothers that could generate any interest in this particular matchup. I’m not sure either franchise has played a truly meaningful game against the other in the 21st century.

The most memorable recent matchup came in February 2022, where the Hornets were awarded a three-point shooting foul for a shot that went up several seconds after the whistle was blown late in the fourth quarter of a close game. It was truly the worst call I’ve ever seen in an NBA game. But the drama wasn’t from the opponent, it was with the refs.

This also isn’t expected to be a good game. The Hornets won 19 games this past season, and they aren’t likely to take a significant step forward. This isn’t projected to be a future playoff matchup or an interesting contrast in styles. It’s just a normal, regular-season game.

A team like the Boston Celtics, which isn’t featured on “Rivalry Week,” would’ve made much more sense for a matchup with the Cavs. These teams have faced off numerous times in the playoffs in the last decade and should both be near the top of the conference for the foreseeable future, even though Boston will likely struggle this year without Jayson Tatum.

Even a team like the Atlanta Hawks would’ve made much more sense. The Hawks overperformed against the Cavs last season, they improved in the offseason, and it could be a playoff matchup. We also saw these two teams in the postseason for the 2022 Play-In game.

Instead of that, we’re left with a bland Cavs and Hornets matchup. Hopefully, the Ball brothers can share the court and make at least a couple of interesting highlights out of what will likely be a game we’ll forget about a week after it happens.

Source: https://www.fearthesword.com/cavs-n...iers-charlotte-hornets-lonzo-ball-lemelo-ball

 

[Cleveland Cavaliers]

Five Cavs games you can’t miss this season

The NBA has released its full 2025-26 schedule for all 30 teams. Let’s break down five Cleveland Cavaliers games you won’t want to miss this season.

Cavs vs Grizzlies – November 15th, 5 pm​

Ty Jerome returns

We’re starting our list off with a potential revenge game.

Nobody is thrilled that the Cavs lost Ty Jerome in free agency this summer. Jerome blazed one of the most entertaining trails a role player has ever given the city of Cleveland. His unexpected breakout made for a wild ride that, unfortunately, came to an abrupt stop in the playoffs.

As far as we can speculate, the Cavs allowed Jerome to walk this summer. The franchise views Lonzo Ball as a better option moving forward due to his defensive pedigree. That doesn’t mean Jerome feels the same way. Jerome probably takes all of this personally, as most competitive athletes do.

I’m not saying I want Jerome to torch the Cavs on November 15th… but I’ll be watching his minutes closely as he gets his first opportunity to show Koby Altman what he passed on.

Cavs vs Spurs – December 5th, 7:30 pm​

Mobley vs Wemby

Evan Mobley and Victor Wembanyama have only played against each other once so far. That’s hard to believe, isn’t it? But given they play in separate conferences — and both players have suffered injuries at the wrong time — it only makes sense.

In their only meeting, Mobley scored 28 points on 11-15 shooting (3-3 from deep) to go with 10 rebounds. Wemby had 19 points (5-16 shooting), 14 rebounds, 2 steals and 2 blocks. Since then, Mobley has won a Defensive Player of the Year Award that otherwise would have gone to Wembanyama, had he not missed the second half of the season. This should add some fuel to the fire.

December 5th will give us a chance at seeing these two titans battle again. Mark your calendars.

Cavs at Knicks – October 22nd, 7 pm​

Opening night

What’s not to like? The Cavs open their season on the road in Madison Square Garden as they take on the only other team in the Conference that was competitive last season and didn’t suffer a catastrophic injury. With Boston and Indiana dealing with lost seasons — the Cavs and Knicks will be jockeying for the top spot in the conference all year.

Opening night allows each team to set the tone. Though, this game won’t matter much.

The Cavs began last season with a perfect 15-0 record while the Knicks struggled through the opening months. Despite this, the Knicks wound up going to the Conference Finals while the Cavs went out in five games during the second round.

Nonetheless, it will be good to have Cavs basketball back in our lives. And no one will complain if they start the season with another bang.

Cavs vs Thunder – January 19th, 2:30 pm​

Potential NBA Finals Preview

The Cavs and Thunder delivered one of the best regular season games of the decade last year when the two powerhouses battled in Cleveland to defend their double-digit win streaks. This game was a firework show in the best way possible — with the Cavs etching out a narrow victory.

Oklahoma City went on to win the championship. While, again, the Cavs fell in the second round.

A rematch between these two teams could mean another electric battle in the regular season. But if all goes right, it could be a potential NBA Finals preview. The Thunder aren’t expected to go anywhere anytime soon. The Cavs, on the other hand, are hoping to finally arrive on the big stage. January 19th gives us a sneak peek of what this could look like.

Cavs vs Lakers – January 28th, 7 pm​

LeBron’s last game in Cleveland?

This one doesn’t require much explanation. It’s LeBron James in Cleveland for a game of basketball. That’s always going to be a sold-out show.

But this one is different.

James is the oldest player in the NBA. There’s no telling how many more times he’ll be playing professional basketball in his home state. For all we know, January 28th could be the final time James plays a game in Cleveland. That’s something I never wanted to consider — but it’s not something we can ignore.

Anyone who has ever considered themselves a Cavs fan will be watching this one. Especially if James confirms what he has planned for the future. Though we wouldn’t hold our breath. James rarely announces things so far ahead of schedule.

Source: https://www.fearthesword.com/cavs-news/38568/five-cavs-games-you-cant-miss-this-season