The Brooklyn Nets (39-33, sixth in the Eastern Conference) host the Cleveland Cavaliers (46-28, fourth in the Eastern Conference) at Barclays Center on Thursday for the third and final matchup between the teams this season. The regular-season series is currently tied at 1-1.
In the first game, a Nets 125-117 win on Dec. 26, Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving scored 32 points each to lead Brooklyn in scoring. The win gave the Nets their ninth-straight victory, which was the longest winning streak since the team moved from New Jersey to Brooklyn. Cavaliers guard Darius Garland scored 46 points to lead Cleveland in scoring.
In the second game, a Cavaliers 115-109 win on Mar. 21, Donovan Mitchell scored 31 points to lead Cleveland in scoring. The third quarter is where this game got out of hand as the Cavaliers went ahead 84-60 with 6:16 left in the third quarter as Brooklyn couldn’t find a way to score on a consistent basis to keep up. The Nets made a furious comeback in the fourth quarter, but the deficit was too much to overcome. Day’Ron Sharpe had a wonderful game of 20 points, 11 rebounds, two steals, and two blocks.
Thursday will be a rematch that has more implications for the Nets than it does for the Cavaliers. Cleveland is four games back of the third-place Philadelphia 76ers and four games ahead of the fifth-place New York Knicks so their playoff spot is set for all intents and purposes. Brooklyn, however, is two games back of the Knicks, but are tied with the Miami Heat in terms of games behind first-place. With the matchup against the Heat on Saturday, it’s vital to their playoff chances that Brooklyn beats the Cavaliers on Thursday.
Here’s when and where you can tune in to see the matchup: