Of all the Eastern Conference teams you could have picked for play-in games, the Brooklyn Nets and Cleveland Cavaliers were probably at the bottom of the list. The Nets were expected to be in contention for the No. 1 spot as preseason title favorites, but an injury to Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving’s vaccination status and an unexpected trade demand from James Harden led them to the No. 7 spot.
The Cavs, on the other hand, had meager expectations after ending last season with the fourth-worst record in the NBA. They were a great story, led by stellar performances from Darius Garland, Jarrett Allen and rookie Evan Mobley, along with a tremendous defensive turn unleashed by head coach JB Bickerstaff.
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The teams took opposite routes to get here, but they will meet on Tuesday, with the winner earning the right to play the No. 2-seeded Boston Celtics in the first round and the loser to an eliminator on Friday the winner of Wednesday’s matchup between the Charlotte Hornets and the Atlanta Hawks.
Here’s a look at the start time, TV info and odds, and three things to know for the Play-In matchup.
(7) Brooklyn Nets vs. (8) Cleveland Cavaliers
- When: Tuesday April 12 | 7 p.m. ET
- From where: Barclays Center—Brooklyn, New York
- TV: TNT | Live broadcast: TNT
- Opportunities: BKN-420; CL +320; O/U 228.5 (via Caesars Sportsbook)
Featured Game | Brooklyn Nets vs. Cleveland Cavaliers
1. Big attack by KD and Kyrie
If the Brooklyn Nets are to somehow reclaim their favorite status from last season, despite the injuries, trades and drama this season has brought, two players will come down to it: Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving. They’re both capable of 50+ points in every game, and given the lack of offensive firepower in the rest of Brooklyn’s roster, they may have to do so. Durant averaged nearly 30 points this season and Irving averaged 27.4. The second-highest pointing average on the team was Seth Curry’s 14.7, and he only played 19 games with the team.
So yes, KD and Kyrie need to score, but they’re also tasked with making it easier when Cleveland sends double-teams and traps on them. Durant is more than capable as a passer, as evidenced by his career best 16 assists in a win over the Indiana Pacers on the final day of the regular season. When Durant had nine assists or more this season, the Nets had a 9-2 record compared to a 7-6 record when he had 35 points or more. That’s an indication of how important it is for Durant to include his teammates Tuesday against the Cavs and not necessarily take over as a goalscorer early on.
When Durant and Irving have played together this season, they have been virtually unstoppable offensively. After James Harden’s trade, the Nets averaged an incredible 123.6 points per 100 possessions with Durant and Irving on the floor. That’s hard for any defense to contain, let alone one that will be lacks the primary rim protection due to a finger injury suffered by Jarrett Allen.
Nets coach Steve Nash has never been afraid to play his stars for big minutes, so you better believe Durant and Irving will be on the court for most of Tuesday’s matchup. That means both should line up incredible numbers with the #7 on the line. And when it comes to recent possession, Durant is one of the league’s top clutch performers, having consistently asserted himself on the postseason stage.
2. Garland, LeVert must be great
Before Allen’s injury, the Cavs won mostly because of their defense, which was fourth in the NBA at the time. However, in the 18 games since the big man went down, Cleveland has had the 22nd defense in the league and a 7-11 record at that. That’s all to say that to beat Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving and the Nets on Tuesday they’ll need to score a lot.
The good news is the Nets are a great team to try to score against. They are ranked 20th in the league in the regular season with a 112.3 defensive rating. For all the credit Durant deserves offensively, he’s also crucial to the Brooklyn defense, which is rated four points worse when Durant sits. When Nash gives his star player even the slightest amount of rest, it’s important that the Cavs benefit.
That starts with Garland, an All-Star breakout this season, who averaged 21.7 points and 8.6 assists on 46/38/89 shooting splits. The Cavs’ offensive rating improves by over 10 points for every 100 possessions when Garland is on the ground, so he needs to be in top form to keep up with the Nets’ scoring offense.
However, when Garland went to the bench, things fell off a cliff. He probably won’t sit much Tuesday, but if he does, it will be down to Caris LeVert’s midseason acquisition to carry the offensive flare. So far this season, that hasn’t happened as the Cavs have amassed a paltry 103.4 points per 100 possessions in 173 minutes with LeVert on the court and Garland on the bench. The Cavs must be very careful not to lose control of the game once Garland gets his rest.
However, with Garland and LeVert together on the court, the Cavs were dynamic offensively, averaging 118.4 points per 100 possessions. That might just be enough to keep up with the Nets, but both Garland and LeVert need to be on their game.
3. Evan Mobley, X Factor
It’s hard to predict how rookies will perform in the postseason, but everything we’ve seen of Rookie of the Year favorite Mobley suggests he’s not shrinking for now. Assuming Durant, Irving, Garland and LeVert all bring their A-game, Mobley could be the swing factor in Tuesday’s matchup.
Without Allen, Mobley will be tasked with protecting the rim from KD and Kyrie, both capable finishers, while keeping Andre Drummond and Nicolas Claxton off the offensive glass. That’s no easy feat, and then the Cavs will likely need him to score, too, to keep up with Brooklyn’s attack. The Cavs were 4-1 this season as Mobley scored 24 or more points, and they may just need that kind of effort from him if they want to win on Tuesday.
forecast
There should be plenty of points in this case as Allen is unable to adapt, so have your popcorn ready. The Cavs have been just too weak defensively for the past few weeks to slow down Durant-Irving’s offensive fire, so the Nets will eventually claim the win. That being said, it should be closed at the track so the Cavs should cover the relatively wide spread. Tips: Nets ML, Cavs +8.5