The Cleveland Cavaliers return to action after the All-Star break and will head to New Orleans to take on the Pelicans.
are in Entering the break at 14-22, the Cleveland Cavaliers are 13th in the Eastern Conference and have an extreme outside chance of playing beyond the regular season. Their quest to get into the playoffs in a post-LeBron era continues Friday as they take on the 15-22 New Orleans Pelicans.
The records of both teams indicate that neither are particularly good, but they have shown the ability to compete with some of the better teams in the league. Zion Williamson (25.5) and Brandon Ingram (23.6) are the Pelicans’ leading scorers. Lonzo Ball is the leading assist man for New Orleans with 5.1 per game while Ingram is second on the list with 4.8.
Cleveland will have a tough task Friday slowing this team down because stopping them is impossible. Add in the fact that the Cavaliers are scoring about 11 less points per game, the offense could have a tough time keeping up with New Orleans.
If the Cavaliers are going to come out of the break with a win, they will need to lean on their key three players. As long as Collin Sexton, Darius Garland, and Jarrett Allen play up to expectations, they have a chance against most teams.
Cavaliers forward Larry Nance Jr. is expected to return Friday and that could also play a huge factor into the final result of this game.
