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The Cleveland Cavaliers are only a few wins away from booking their place in the post-season. They go up against the Dallas Mavericks, who are looking to cling onto a playoff spot out west. Join The Roar for live scores from 10am (AEDT).
The Cavaliers currently have 47 wins and 19 losses and hold a two-game advantage at the top of the East over the Toronto Raptors.
They also hold a 13.5-game advantage over the ninth-placed Detroit Pistons, and are only two victories away from cementing a spot in the post-season.
Although it is highly improbable they’ll miss the playoffs regardless of what happens today, the Cavs will be keen to nail down top spot, and so need to keep winning to stay ahead of the in-form Raptors.
The Cavaliers come into this game fresh off a loss against the Utah Jazz, but they have arrested a mini form-slide, where they lost three from four. While their level of on-court play has been far from perfect, they have bounced back to win six of their last eight matches.
The loss to the Jazz was concerning though, as they appeared to fall back into habits that sent them on the losing run. With a shooting percentage of less than 40 per cent, and ten for 42 from outside, Cleveland had stopped looking for good options and started running an offence which looked plain ugly.
While LeBron James has been continuing his rock-solid form, it is up to others to stand up heading towards the post-season.
The Mavericks have lost five of their last six games and tumbled down to eighth place in the Western Conference.
The play of Chandler Parsons and Dirk Nowitzki is the only reason Dallas have been able to stay in recent games.
Unfortunately it is difficult to isolate one area of the Mavs’ game that has been causing the losses. It seems to be a general desire problem, and an inability to close out games more than anything else, and this has to come from the whole team rather than a couple of players.
This will be the second and final match between the teams this season, with the Cavaliers winning the first one, away from home, by three points in overtime.
Prediction
Cleveland won’t lose at home, and on their current form it’s hard to imagine the Mavericks getting up on the road.
Cavaliers by 9.
Be sure to join The Roar for live scores of this match from 10am (AEDT), and don’t forget to add your own comments in the section below as the action unfolds.
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