Game #78 | Bobcats Vs. Cavs | Saturday, April 5th, 2014 | 7:30PM EST

[Jack Brickman]

[video=youtube;U7fjDS0jKiE]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U7fjDS0jKiE[/video]

(31-46)

vs.

(38-38)


WHERE: Quicken Loans Arena, Cleveland, OH

Cavs Head Coach Mike Brown

Hornets Head Coach Steve Clifford

Cavs Starting Lineup:

PG Kyrie Irving

SG Dion Waiters

SF Luol Deng

PF Tristan Thompson

C Spencer Hawes

Hornets Starting Lineup:

PG Kemba Walker

SG Gerald Henderson

SF Michael Kidd-Gilchrist

PF Josh McRoberts

C Al Jefferson

Cavs Bench:
Jarrett Jack
Matthew Dellevadova
Sergey Karasev
Alonzo Gee
Anderson Varejao
Tyler Zeller
Scotty Hopson

Hornets Bench:
Cody Zeller
Anthony Tolliver
Luke Ridnour
Bismack Biyombo
Gary Neal
Chris Douglas-Roberts
D.J. White
Jannero Pargo


Injury Report:
Anthony Bennett
C.J. Miles

​

The Charlotte Bobcats are creeping closer to a playoff spot while the Cleveland Cavaliers' postseason chances are dimming quickly.

Al Jefferson looks to continue his recent success as the Bobcats attempt to put themselves on the verge of the playoffs by beating the Cavaliers for a fifth straight meeting Saturday night.

Charlotte (38-38) is close to just its second trip to the postseason in its 10-year history, with the other coming in 2010. The Bobcats are seventh in the Eastern Conference, 5 1/2 games ahead of ninth-place New York with six games left in the regular season -- one more than the Knicks.

Since the teams split their four-game season series, Charlotte will need a win against Cleveland (31-46) and a New York defeat at Miami on Sunday to clinch a postseason berth.

The Bobcats have looked capable of doing their part of late, winning five of seven games while averaging 106.9 points -- 10.2 higher than their season average.

"We're heading in the right direction," Jefferson said. "We're a team that's playing well right now. We've just got to continue to get better, and get ready for the playoffs.

"We're right there, but we've got to take it one game at a time."

Jefferson is playing a vital role over the past seven games, scoring 25.1 points per contest while pulling down 11.1 rebounds. The forward had a double-double in the first half Friday and finished with 29 points and 16 boards while sinking 13 of 24 shots from the floor in a 91-80 victory over Orlando.

He also led the way in a 101-92 win over Cleveland on March 7, scoring 28 points while making 12 of 18 from the field.

The Bobcats have won four straight meetings with the Cavaliers, one shy of their longest in the all-time series from Nov. 27, 2009-March 30, 2011.

They've held Cleveland to an average of 88.5 points in those wins, including an 86-80 victory -- only their second in 16 all-time games there -- in the most recent visit to Cleveland on Nov. 15.

Kemba Walker is averaging 9.8 points and 3.3 assists while shooting 32.7 percent from the field -- 3 of 13 from beyond the arc -- over his four visits to Quicken Loans Arena. However, he scored 20 points and dished out 14 assists against the Cavs last month.

While the Bobcats seem to be on their way to the playoffs, the Cavaliers are three games back of Atlanta for the eighth and final spot with five games to go.

Cleveland squandered a chance to move closer Friday, falling 117-98 to the Hawks while making 39.6 percent of its field goals and just 5 of 21 3-pointers.

"They kicked our behind from the beginning to the end," coach Mike Brown said. "No, it doesn't feel like it's over but the loss is very, very disappointing. The way we lost, it looked like we weren't playing for much out there."

Brown may be looking for improvement from Kyrie Irving and Luol Deng, who had 13 points each while combining to go 10 for 28 from the floor.

Irving hasn't been much better against Charlotte this season, averaging 15.7 points while going 1 for 15 from 3-point range and shooting 34.0 percent overall. That includes missing all seven of his 3s and finishing with 13 points March 7, while Deng and Dion Waiters each had a team-high 19 points in that lost.

Waiters has averaged 23.1 points in his last nine games.

 

[AuxiliaryPie]

back to being the Cans

 

[Fuggles]

 

[Tornicade]

Bobcats are 3-0 vs the Cavs this season and the Cavs didnt fare so well against them in preseason. This like an atlanta re teams where you have to play solid defense. Charlotte is emerging. these teams are at similiar stages of an roster overall and build. Charlotte though is anchored by an established starter in Al Jefferson and went into the season with a more experienced bench that went younger as their youth got more experience.

Cavs certaily appear to have a higher ceiling than the bobcats but the Bobcats are a step ahead of the Cavs right now.

This game imo is more important than the Atlanta one. Given they are both teams built through the draft at the same time.

 

[daddywags]

Biggest difference between the two teams and how they have built is Al Jefferson. He's leading Charlotte in points and rebounds. The 'Cats aren't getting much return on draft picks like MKG, Biyombo and Zeller. Give us Jefferson and them Thompson and I think we easily have a better record than them.

 

[blackmagicGTI]

Given the usual trends of the Cavs' season I would expect them to win by 15 after playing so poorly last night, I just hope they come out with some heart. I never expected them to make the playoffs but at least things were moving positively a few weeks ago. Now I just want them to avoid a long and toxic losing streak to end the season and erase any of the positives of the last few weeks.

Come on Cavs!

 

[Tornicade]

Biggest difference between the two teams and how they have built is Al Jefferson. He's leading Charlotte in points and rebounds. The 'Cats aren't getting much return on draft picks like MKG, Biyombo and Zeller. Give us Jefferson and them Thompson and I think we easily have a better record than them.

their not getting much return? their just getting wins with gritty defense. Zellers having a great rookie season. MKG has had injury issues this year. Henderson is a young guy giving them quality minutes... Kemba also continues to play at a high level.. most of this roster looks to improve next year and they are certainly looking to finish the season out on a high note.

 

[PepsiRacer4]

Big Al is gonna tear us up again as Kemba and MKG have career games from deep.

 

[Surge]

I don't care if they win by 30 and NYK and ATL lose their next games, I'm done with this pansy team.

We need some DAWGS!

 

[Lyst]

We should get Dion really hot like last game and then have Mike Brown take him out and kill our entire offense.

I honestly think that was the game changer. Dion wasn't missing a fucking shot last night and Brown takes him out first before anyone. Fucking retarded. Never came back after that.

 

[Stark]

You absolutely have to win the rest of the games if you even want a shot at the playoffs. Even if that happens, we probably still won't get in.

Win or go home bitches.

 

[Fuggles]

Win or go home was yesterday.

 

[JSS2306]

We need a monster game from Kyrie and we need Tristan and Hawes to clamp down.

 

[BimboColesHair]

anyone got a decent stream?

 

[OptimusPrime]

Yeah if we want to win we can't have Irving guarding Walker. Or anyone really.