Central reasserts its rep
Every division team over .500; Cavs face back-to-back against two of them
By Brian Windhorst
Beacon Journal sportswriter
CLEVELAND - There were several weeks of ridicule as it was lumped with its lagging Eastern Conference brethren, but the oft-heralded NBA Central Division has finally started rounding into form.
The Cavaliers, a full-fledged member, are about to head into the teeth of the surge. With a two-game winning streak of their own, the Cavs start a weekend Central Division back-to-back that will be a litmus test.
Tonight it is the East's hottest team, the Milwaukee Bucks, who will make their first appearance of the season at Quicken Loans Arena. Then on Saturday night, it's a meeting with the Bulls in Chicago.
Last week, the Cavs got a full dose of the division-leading Detroit Pistons, who have won 15 of their last 19 games. The Bulls are 12-3 this month and are neck and neck with the Cavs in the standings.
The Bucks are over .500 for the first time since the first week of the season following a six-game win streak, which included a victory in San Antonio on Tuesday. Milwaukee is in last place in the Central, which saw all five members make the playoffs last season and is the league's only division with all five teams over .500.
``They are better than last place. They are a playoff team,'' Cavs coach Mike Brown said of the Bucks. ``I've said all season that I think the Central, from top to bottom, is the best division in the league.''
Last season, the Cavs went 11-5 against Central foes, which got them valuable tiebreakers when it came time to determine playoff positions. This year, they are 2-2, which makes this weekend back-to-back a pivotal point of the season.
``I think it is the biggest back-to-back of the season so far,'' LeBron James said. ``We always love playing division opponents, and if we approach it the right way, we have a chance to win both games.''
Windhorst
Every division team over .500; Cavs face back-to-back against two of them
By Brian Windhorst
Beacon Journal sportswriter
CLEVELAND - There were several weeks of ridicule as it was lumped with its lagging Eastern Conference brethren, but the oft-heralded NBA Central Division has finally started rounding into form.
The Cavaliers, a full-fledged member, are about to head into the teeth of the surge. With a two-game winning streak of their own, the Cavs start a weekend Central Division back-to-back that will be a litmus test.
Tonight it is the East's hottest team, the Milwaukee Bucks, who will make their first appearance of the season at Quicken Loans Arena. Then on Saturday night, it's a meeting with the Bulls in Chicago.
Last week, the Cavs got a full dose of the division-leading Detroit Pistons, who have won 15 of their last 19 games. The Bulls are 12-3 this month and are neck and neck with the Cavs in the standings.
The Bucks are over .500 for the first time since the first week of the season following a six-game win streak, which included a victory in San Antonio on Tuesday. Milwaukee is in last place in the Central, which saw all five members make the playoffs last season and is the league's only division with all five teams over .500.
``They are better than last place. They are a playoff team,'' Cavs coach Mike Brown said of the Bucks. ``I've said all season that I think the Central, from top to bottom, is the best division in the league.''
Last season, the Cavs went 11-5 against Central foes, which got them valuable tiebreakers when it came time to determine playoff positions. This year, they are 2-2, which makes this weekend back-to-back a pivotal point of the season.
``I think it is the biggest back-to-back of the season so far,'' LeBron James said. ``We always love playing division opponents, and if we approach it the right way, we have a chance to win both games.''
Windhorst
