Cavaliers vs. Heat Game Preview: Cavs Look For Revenge In Potential First Round Matchup

(Cleveland, OH) – The Cleveland Cavaliers (48-27) are looking for revenge Thursday night in a rematch against a potential first round playoff opponent — the Miami Heat (34-40).

It’s been a weird week for the Cavs. With three days off after a disappointing outing against the Philadelphia 76ers, the media has been delving into all kinds of topics to keep the public buzzing.

Is LeBron James calling the plays? Is David Blatt calling the plays? Is Kevin Love a Samantha? Or is he more of a Miranda? Does that explain why he and LeBron aren’t besties? AND WHY ISNT THIS TEAM SINGING “KUMBAYA” AROUND THE CAMPFIRE!?

Who knew winning could suck so much.

Luckily there’s actual basketball to be played tonight between one really good team and one sort of good team (depending on what conference you’re looking at).

On the season, the Heat currently hold a 2-1 advantage. This has led some to openly question whether the Cavs would be scared of the Heat in a first round matchup.

Let’s get one thing straight. The Cavs would LOVE to see Miami in round one. The constantly injured Dwyane Wade, Goran Dragic, and the husk of the man that was once Luol Deng versus LeBron James, Kyrie Irving, and Kevin Love. Take a second to think about that.

But what about the regular season victories? The Heat have had the Cavs’ number this season.

Let’s travel back to last season’s playoff matchup between the Heat and the geriatric Brooklyn Nets. The Nets swept the Heat in the regular season leading “experts” to openly suggest that the Nets could knock off the Heat. How did that play out again?

Exactly.

The real focus for the Cavs as they wrap up the regular season is the playoff readiness of their team. With many of the playoff seeds locked up, coaches are beginning to rest their players in preparation for the postseason. However, Head Coach David Blatt doesn’t strictly adhere to that principle.

“I think we need to keep guys in game shape and get ready for what’s coming ahead,” Blatt said Wednesday after practice. “If we choose to rest someone here or there, it will be according to the plan, not with any particular worry for anyone being fatigued.”

Surprisingly, James echoed a similar opinion.

“(With) as many games as we had in March, it gave us a rhythm we hadn’t had all season. You want to try to keep your rhythm. It’s a delicate situation between rest vs. rhythm,” LeBron said to reporters after practice. “We’re a team that’s coming together at the right time; you want to keep that rhythm.”

So while the game on Thursday promises to be an entertaining one, it’s not exactly an impactful one. With the loss Wednesday to the Milwaukee Bucks, the Chicago Bulls — Cleveland’s remaining competition for the two seed — are more than likely out of the race.

Tomorrow’s game, and the remaining six after it, will primarily function as a tune-up for the Cavs as they approach the start of the playoffs, when the real season begins.

So enjoy the brief silence before we find another reason why all the Cavs hate each other.