The Cleveland Cavaliers are on a three-game winning streak and seem to have turned a corner on their season after beating the Clippers and blowing out the Chicago Bulls. The next 10 games will determine if the Cavs will emerge as one of the best teams in the Eastern Conference or if they'll stay around .500. Here's how those games might play out:
JANUARY 21 vs. UTAH JAZZ
Utah beat the Cavs in one of the first games of the season on a Gordon Hayward buzzer-beater, and Cleveland has not forgotten about it. Losing a game in that fashion tends to prove a team with a little extra motivation, and with Cleveland having so much more talent than the Jazz, I expect this to be a blowout.
Cavs win 115-98
JANUARY 23 vs. CHARLOTTE HORNETS
This is the stereotypical trap game for the Cavs as they'll bring a four-game winning streak against a struggling Hornets team with a showdown with Oklahoma City on deck. Add in the fact Cleveland destroyed Charlotte in their first matchup, and they could sleepwalk through this game. That'll keep things closer that it should be, but the Hornets are good enough offensively to exploit the Cavs' suspect defense.
Cavs win 102-94
JANUARY 25 vs. OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER
Dion Waiters' first game back in Cleveland should be fun, right? This will be an emotionally charged contest, and will probably be our only opportunity to see LeBron James and Kevin Durant on the floor together since James missed their previous matchup. It should be a close game, but OKC is desperately fighting to get into the Western Conference playoff picture, and that urgency will lead them to a win.
Thunder win 108-103
JANUARY 27 at DETROIT PISTONS
The Pistons are 11-3 since they released Josh Smith and look like a completely different basketball team. They'll play an inspired game as they try to climb into the No. 8 seed in the Eastern Conference, but they still don't have the talent to beat a team like the Cavs.
Cavs win 105-95
JANUARY 28 vs. PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS
Portland is the second best team (record-wise) in the league right now behind the Golden State Warriors, and they get the Cavs on the second night of a back-to-back. On top of that, Blazers point guard Damian Lillard will be motivated to outplay Kyrie Irving, who was selected for Team USA's World Cup team instead of him. Couple those things together and I think Portland wins this one in fairly convincing fashion.
Trail Blazers win 110-99
JANUARY 30 vs. SACRAMENTO KINGS
Sacramento shockingly blew out Cleveland in their first matchup of the season last week, and there's no way the Cavs are going to let that happen again.
Cavs win 107-94
JANUARY 31 at MINNESOTA TIMBERWOLVES
This will be Kevin Love's first trip back to Minnesota since the trade that sent him to Cleveland, and he'll be looking to have a good game - as will Andrew Wiggins on the other side. However, the bottom line is that the Timberwolves are one of the worst teams in the league, and they're not gonna shock anyone in this game.
Cavs win 120-89
FEBRUARY 2 vs. PHILADELPHIA 76ERS
Speaking of bad teams, the Sixers are playing better, but they're still not good. Add that to the fact they actually beat the Cavs last time these two teams met, and Cleveland's not even going to let them sniff a victory in this one.
Cavs win 118-88
FEBRURAY 5 vs. LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS
The Cavs and Clippers provided us with one of the more exciting games of the season over the weekend, and this one should be equally entertaining. It's a toss up in a game between teams this evenly matched, and since the Cavs got the breaks in the last one, I think the Clippers will find a way to win this one.
Clippers win 118-115
FEBRUARY 6 at INDIANA PACERS
Last year, this would have been a marquee game. However, the Pacers have really struggled without Paul George and are one of the worst offensive teams in the league. Even though they're catching Cleveland on the second night of a back-to-back, they don't have enough firepower to beat the Cavaliers.
Cavs win 96-87
VERDICT
A 7-3 stretch over the next 10 games would bring Cleveland's record to 29-23, which is definitely a move in the right direction, but isn't anything eye-popping. What these 10 games will do is put the league on notice that the Cavs are coming, but aren't quite there yet.
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