With seeding up in the air until the last day of the regular season, the NBA’s play-in tournament field is finally set. In the East, the Nets will face the Cavaliers in the No. 7-No. 8 game, with the winner advancing to the postseason. The loser will face the winner of the Hawks and Hornets, who finished 9th and 10th, respectively. In the West, the Wolves will get the Clippers at home, and the team who doesn’t advance will get another shot against the winner of the Pelicans and Spurs. With the tourney set, here’s one thing to look for in each game.
Cavaliers at Nets: Which Cleveland Defense Will Show Up?
For the season, Cleveland will finish with the sixth-best defense in the NBA. Concerns swirled over the summer about the awkward fit of rookie Evan Mobley with Jarrett Allen and Lauri Markannen, but the Cavs acquitted themselves. Their length was in fact an asset. The problem? That defense hasn’t been good since the All-Star break, during which time Cleveland’s defense has actually been seventh-worst in the league. The culprit is largely injuries, Allen’s in particular. The All-Star big man hasn’t played since March 6, zapping much of the Cavs’ effectiveness. With Allen’s status up in the air for Tuesday (and it’s not looking good), Cleveland is in a tough spot trying to slow down Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving. If the defense can have a throwback performance, and the Cavs’ length can shrink the floor against Brooklyn’s spacey attack, they may have a puncher’s chance. The Nets will rightfully be heavy favorites, though.
