With the playoffs set to start this April 15, setting off their defense of the National Basketball Association title, the reigning world champions Cleveland Cavaliers thanked their loyal fans at the Quicken Loans Arena during the team's final home game of the season. The fact is that, despite the rough spots, only four teams finished with a better record than the Cavs' final mark of 51-31.
"We don't have the best one-on-one defenders", Lue said.
They've previously squared off in the postseason when James was with the Miami Heat and before George suffered a horrific leg injury that threatened his career. IN closed the month and the regular season with five consecutive victories to secure the seventh playoff seed in the East.
"I think through everything that went on with our team, we're in a position where we can do something special still", James said.
"With all the injuries and all the things we've been through, I feel good".
"This (Cleveland) team being very locked in is a very tough team to beat", Cleveland power forward Kevin Love said. Should the Cavaliers lack of momentum concern bettors as we enter the playoffs? "They know what it takes and we know what we need to do and it should make for a great series".
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One of the odd challenges of playing an 82-game schedule packed with travel and one-night stands is teams rarely get to practice - really practice - for a specific opponent.
Wall, Beal and the rest of the Wizards are going to have to continue to carry that sting into the postseason and use it as motivation if they plan on making an extended playoff run.
"We did it the last two seasons", Lue said. "For us, we're going to have to lock in on everybody and try to take some guys out of their rhythm".
George got his wish, and if he and the seventh-seeded Pacers can shock the Cavs, it would add another chapter to his incredible comeback story. Irving, James and Love get most of the attention, but guard Kyle Korver off the bench will be an important part of Lue's game plan. For the month, the Pacers ranked third in the National Basketball Association in scoring (115.5 ppg) and fourth in field goal percentage (50.1) and point differential (plus-11.7). Two stunning losses to the Hawks later - one to Atlanta's bench in Cleveland and the other blowing a 26-point fourth quarter lead in Atlanta - and Cleveland was tied with the Celtics with two games to play, but, again, they owned the tiebreaker. All of that was highlighted by the last game against George's Pacers, when the champs were left with more questions than answers.
"We're chasing something - we're not protecting anything this year", Curry said. We have a good club going into the postseason. "We're ready for this moment and we're gonna go out there and play". But we have to do a good job against all the other guys - C.J. Miles, Monta Ellis, Aaron Brooks, Lance Stephenson.
George averaged a career-best 23.7 points to go along with 6.6 rebounds and 3.3 assists per game this season, while Teague averaged 15.3 points and set career highs in both assists per game (7.8) and rebounds per game (4.0) during his first season with Indiana. "He made some tough shots and he's capable of doing that". The series shifts to Indianapolis on April 20 for the first of two games at Bankers Life Fieldhouse.
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