Cleveland had their four-game winning streak snapped in a 106-97 loss to the Denver Nuggets on Monday night, and they're looking to rebound Wednesday night against the defending champions.
San Antonio has won four of their last five games, and are coming off an 100-75 win over the Philadelphia 76ers.
Projected Starting Lineups
Cleveland Cavaliers (5-4)
G Kyrie Irving – 22.1 ppg, 5.3 apg
G Shawn Marion – 5.4 ppg, 3.6 rpg
F LeBron James – 27.1 ppg, 6.7 rpg, 6.6 apg
F Kevin Love – 17.4 ppg, 10.3 rpg
C Anderson Varejao – 9.1 ppg, 5.8 rpg
San Antonio Spurs (6-4)
G Tony Parker – 16.1 ppg, 5.3 apg
G Danny Green – 9.9 ppg, 3.3 rpg
F Kawhi Leonard – 12.9 ppg, 7.7 rpg
F Matt Bonner - 6.6 ppg, 2.1 rpg
C Tim Duncan - 14.0 ppg, 10.8 rpg
What to watch for:
Spurs offense vs. Cavs defense
The San Antonio Spurs are known for their impressive ball movement and unselfishness on offense, while Cleveland's defense has been one of the worst in the league so far this season. A big reason for that is their slow (or non-existent) defensive rotations, which is the exact thing the Spurs' offense is designed to exploit. If the Cavs step up their defensive game, they'll slow San Antonio's offense down and have a better chance to win the game.
Will San Antonio match Cleveland's effort?
Cleveland is going to come out and play tonight like it's the biggest game of the season, as it's their only chance to face the reigning NBA champs at home. San Antonio is used to playing with a target on their backs, but the new-look Cavs are looking to make a statement that they're one of the best teams in the league. If the Spurs view this as "just another game", they'll risk getting blown out by a team who simply tries harder.
Prediction: Cavs win 96-91
Cleveland's defensive struggles have largely been due to a lack of effort, and I expect them to play their hardest against the Spurs. That'll be enough to overcome San Antonio's consistently good play, though I expect the Spurs to keep it close.
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