Cavs to rest LeBron, Kyrie against Heat; could have big playoff ramifications
The Heat could get in, the Bulls could get out, the Celtics could get the 1-seed
By
Matt Moore
•
2 min read
UPDATE: Cavaliers coach Tyronn Lue told reporters pregame that Kevin Love will play, but LeBron James and Kyrie Irving will be out:
Ty Lue says that Kevin Love is playing tonight, but no Kyrie and LeBron: "We're coming out with the intention of winning tonight"
— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) April 10, 2017
The Cleveland Cavaliers are tied with the Boston Celtics after a historic collapse Sunday against the Hawks. They control their own destiny, but if the Celtics win out, the Cavs must do the same to secure the No. 1 seed and home court throughout the Eastern Conference playoffs. In that overtime loss in Atlanta on Sunday, LeBron James played 47 minutes, on top of a season where he has been one of the league leaders in minutes played, a stat that has prompted guffaws around the league, wondering what on Earth the Cavs were doing in not resting their iconic star.
With Kevin Love and Kyrie Irving both still dealing with injury issues, and on a back-to-back in Miami, the Cavs have finally relented, and will rest starters against the playoff-desperate Heat.
Per Cavs: Tristan Thompson, (Thumb, Out), Kyrie Irving, (Knee , Out), LeBron James, (Calf, Out), Kevin Love, (Illness, Questionable)
— Ira Winderman (@IraHeatBeat) April 10, 2017
James, apparently, was not so tired as to not make a stop at LIV night club on South Beach on Sunday night, however:
But still, James needs the rest from game action, as do Love and Irving. The Cavs don’t fear going into Boston and winning ... they just did so last week, and they know in their heart of hearts that if they give maximum effort (which is a question), they can win any East series.
However, this has massive ramifications. Resting starters in this game gives the Heat a nearly guaranteed win (the Cavs are not the Spurs, who play well without key performers; basically when James sits they turn into a garbage can rolling down a hill on fire). This puts even more pressure on the struggling Bulls. Let me put it this way. There’s a legitimate chance that the Cavs blowing a 26-point lead Sunday to Atlanta will result in the Chicago Bulls trading Jimmy Butler this summer after they miss the playoffs.
That’s how these things can domino.
It’s hard to argue with the Cavs’ decision, on a back-to-back, after a night of clubbing, against a tough, physical, desperate Miami team, when the Cavs have locked no worse than second in the East. But you wonder what the impacts of this are going to be, both for the other teams in the playoffs, and the Cavs themselves if they face a surprising Game 7 in Boston where, though he has had tremendous success since 2012, has still been home to some of LeBron James’ horror stories.
The playoff picture isn’t settled yet, and a lot of that has to do with the Cavs’ inability to take care of business in key moments like Sunday.
