By: Daniel Carp, Grizzlies.com Contributor
Cleveland Cavaliers
Record: 46-26
Standings: Second in Eastern Conference, first in Central Division
Starting Five: PG Kyrie Irving, SG J.R. Smith, SF LeBron James, PF Kevin Love, C Timofey Mozgov
Head Coach: David Blatt (first season with team)
Last time out
Trailing by as many as 11 points in the third quarter, the Cavaliers remembered why they are one of the NBA's hottest teams, using a 26-5 run to cease control and blow by the Bucks 108-90 Sunday at the Bradley Center in Milwaukee. Small forward LeBron James, who called out his team's play at halftime, kickstarted the run with an emphatic dunk. Three straight 3-pointers from shooting guard J.R. Smith ended the spurt, which put Cleveland up 93-78 with 6:19 remaining.
James filled up the stat sheet for the Cavaliers with a game-high 28 points, 10 rebounds, six assists and five steals. Cleveland also got 23 points from Smith and 20 from point guard Kyrie Irving. Michael Carter-Williams led Milwaukee with 19 points but turned the ball over six times.
The Cavaliers have now won eight of their past 10 games.
Last time versus Memphis
The Grizzlies and Cavaliers last matched up Dec. 21, when shooting guard Dion Waiters scored 13 of his 21 points in the fourth quarter to propel Cleveland to a 105-91 win at Quicken Loans Arena. Playing without power forward Zach Randolph and shooting guard Tony Allen, Memphis struggled on the defensive end, allowing the Cavaliers to shoot a season-high 61 percent from the field.
James notched a game-high 28 points and added 11 assists for Cleveland. Anchoring a lineup that was often undersized due to Randolph's absence, center Marc Gasol led Memphis with 23 points, 11 rebounds and five assists.
Memphis would go on to lose its next two games to bring its losing streak to four—the only losing streak of more than two games for the Grizzlies this season.
Key matchup
How could the key matchup of Wednesday's matchup not involve LeBron James? It will likely be a combination of Jeff Green and Tony Allen who draw James as a defensive assignment for Memphis, hoping to keep the best basketball player on the planet at bay—at least for one night. The duo joined forces to hold Dallas' dynamic wing Chandler Parsons to just 12 points in Memphis' win against Dallas last Friday and will look to employ the same defensive intensity against James.
Misc. Notes
Playoff push
Wednesday's colossal matchup—which features teams with two of the four best records in the NBA—carries major playoff implications for both sides as they come down the stretch run. With 10 games remaining on its schedule, Cleveland leads Chicago by three games for the second seed in the East. The Grizzlies hold a 2.5 game lead on the Rockets for the two-spot in the West with 11 games to go. For both teams, a win would go a long way in securing home court advantage for the conference semifinals.
One obscure stat
The Cavaliers are one of the NBA's most experienced teams, with eight players on its roster touting more than 10 years of NBA experience.
Battle Ballz Media Madness
Watch tonight's Battle Ballz match as Phillip Dean (Sports 56/3) takes on Doc Holliday (ABC Local 24 Memphis).
