The Cleveland Cavaliers are playing with fire, and if they don’t refocus, they might get burned. Despite a 13-game winning streak, their 118-117 victory over the Charlotte Hornets once again exposed Cleveland's troubling habit. A championship-caliber team shouldn’t have to claw back against a bottom-tier squad. Yet, against the Hornets, that's precisely what the Cavs had to do.
Cleveland has been flirting with danger for a while. Although they kept winning, the Cavs narrowly escaped against the Portland Trail Blazers, Chicago Bulls, and Miami Heat. To have their bad habits on full display in Charlotte, one of the NBA's worst teams, is alarming.