Apr 14, 2013; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers point guard Kyrie Irving (2) reacts against the Philadelphia 76ers during the first quarter at the Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports

Well, it’s finally come to an end. 82 games of Cleveland Cavaliers basketball are now over and, as the stats indicate, this team ended up not being all that good. They will finish the season outside of the top 10 in all but one of the statistical categories analyzed in these previews. Those do come with an asterisk due to the amount of injuries, but still, there are not a lot of positives going on here. It’s also fitting in  way that Cavaliers will be going against a team near the bottom of the league like them in the Charlotte  Bobcats.

Statistics

Advanced Statistics

Four Factors

Players to Watch:

Cavaliers: Kyrie Irving, point guard

1. Averaging 27.5 points against the Bobcats (20.6 for his career)

2. Scores 26.0 PPG in wins (20.7 in losses)

3. Shooting 49.2 percent from the field in wins (43.1 percent in losses)

Bobcats: Gerald Henderson, shooting guard

1. Scoring 20.9 PPG in wins (14.1 in losses)

2. Shooting 52.2 percent from the field in wins (42.2 percent in losses)

3. Career 14.5 PPG scorer against Cleveland

Key Matchup: Alonzo Gee versus Michael Kidd-Gilchrist – This matchup likely will not decide the game, but it should be a good indicator of where Gee stands at this point in time. Kidd-Gilchirst is a really solid young talent who hits the boards hard and plays solid defense. Gee, who I’m assuming will be coming off of the bench next year, will get a good test in Charlotte tonight. If he proves that he can create his own shot, then maybe he can stave off the talks that Otto Porter is the perfect fit for this Cavaliers. It’s not likely, but you never know.

Mar 4, 2013; Cleveland, OH, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers point guard Kyrie Irving (2) drives between New York Knicks center Tyson Chandler (6) and point guard Raymond Felton (2) in the fourth quarter at Quicken Loans Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-USA TODAY Sports

The Cleveland Cavaliers have endured two painful losses, one at home and one at Madison Square Garden, to the New York Knicks this season. With the final game of the series coming up on Friday, the Cavaliers will try to avenge their two nail-biting losses to the Knicks, who just recently had their 13-game winning streak come to a close thanks to the streak ruin-ers known as the Chicago Bulls. Anyways, what we learned from the two previous matchups and this whole season is that when the Knicks get hot from beyond the arc, they’re almost unbeatable. They shot 37.1 percent and 40 percent from three in the previous two contests. The key to this game will be being able to capitalize off of rebounding opportunities from perimeter shots:

Statistics

Advanced Statistics

Four Factors

Players to Watch:

Cavaliers – Marreese Speights, power forward

1. Connected on his first 10 shots (in March 4 game vs. Knicks)

2. 18 total points in previous four games

3. Shooting 50.6 percent from the field (over last 10 games)

Knicks – J.R. Smith, shooting guard

1. Averaging 24.9 points, 6.8 rebounds (over last 10 games)

2. Shooting 28.1 percent from three (when on the road)

3. Shooting 36.4 percent from three (in wins)

Key Matchup: Carmelo Anthony vs. the Cleveland Cavaliers – Carmelo Anthony has always been a matchup nightmare for defenses, but especially as of late, the current NBA scoring leader has been on a tear and isn’t showing any signs of slowing down anytime soon as playoff mode has already kicked. With Alonzo Gee picking up defensive duties for the most part, the Cavaliers small forward will need help from his teammates in the inside. When Carmelo is cold from three, it seems to affect the rest of his game. If Gee can cover Melo like a blanket from the perimeter, then that will make Tristan Thompson’s job down low a little easier, as he will also have to assist Tyler Zeller in forcing Tyson Chandler outside.

Jan 17, 2013; London, United Kingdom; New York Knicks forward Amar

Coming off of a heartbreaking loss to the Indiana Pacers, the Cleveland Cavaliers (24-53) will take on another division rival in the Detroit Pistons (26-52). The two teams both currently reside in the cellar of the Central Division and are bound to pick at the top of the upcoming NBA Draft. They also are far behind their counterparts in the division, and as the stats show, there is a lot to be lacking in the statistical department.

Statistics

Advanced Statistics

Four Factors

Players to Watch:

Cavaliers: Kyrie Irving, point guard

1. Only scoring 14 points per game against the Pistons this season

2. Scores 26.0 PPG in wins (20.8 PPG in losses)

3. Shooting 49.2 percent in wins (43.6 percent in losses)

Pistons: Brandon Knight, point guard

1. Averaging 16.4 points in wins (11.7 in losses)

2. Shoots 47.0 in wins (37.5 in losses)

3. Scoring 22.3 in his career against Cleveland

Key Matchup: Tyler Zeller versus Andre Drummond – For the Cavaliers and Pistons both, it doesn’t really matter who wins this game. This game is about seeing who has the brighter overall future, and a key detainment of that is the matchup between Zeller and Drummond. Drummond, a rookie like Zeller, is a 7-foot, physical big man who is still relatively raw. Zeller, on the other hand, has a more refined skill set but is more finesse than power. Against a guy like Drummond, who isn’t at his full potential yet, it’s going to be interesting to see how Zeller will do.