Cavaliers clinch home-court advantage for 2023 NBA playoffs

On Apr 5, 2023

Knicks guard Immanuel Quickley drives against Cavaliers guard Raul Neto, left, during the second half, Friday, March 31, 2023, in Cleveland.

Whether it’s referred to as Playhouse Square or something else, home is where the Cavaliers put on their best shows.

It’s why the Cavs (50-30) clinching home-court advantage for the first round of the upcoming NBA playoffs with a 117-113 win over the host Orlando Magic (34-45) on Tuesday night is such a significant development for Cleveland.

“It’s very important,” Cavs center Jarrett Allen said recently. “They say that’s what changes series — home-court advantage. As much games as we can get at the Playhouse Square — not Playhouse Square, it’s right down the street from there — Rocket Mortgage, the better we’ll be.”

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Another 40-point game by Donovan Mitchell

Donovan Mitchell scored 43 points in Orlando, helping the Cavs reach 50 wins this season — the franchise’s greatest number of victories since 2018, the last time Cleveland made the playoffs.

Mitchell scored 25 of his points in the second half Tuesday. It was the All-Star guard’s fourth straight 40-point game, the longest streak in the NBA since James Harden had five straight 40-point games in the 2018-19 season.

Four other Cavs scored double figures Tuesday — Caris LeVert (19 points), Darius Garland (16), Evan Mobley (14) and Jarrett Allen (12). Garland also had 10 assists, while Mobley and Allen each grabbed seven rebounds.

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By the way, Allen cracked himself up with his amusing verbal gaffe. And a last laugh against the New York Knicks would be coveted by the Cavs, who fell 130-116 to New York on Friday at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in downtown Cleveland.

Cavs vs. Knicks is a likely Eastern Conference first-round series in NBA playoffs

The Eastern Conference’s fourth-place Cavs are positioned to host the fifth-place Knicks (46-33) in the opening round of the postseason, which begins April 15. The Cavs lost their regular-season series against the Knicks 3-1, falling twice in New York and once in Cleveland.

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With two games left before playoff time, the Cavs are 31-9 at home compared with 19-21 on the road. The Knicks, who have three regular-season games remaining, are 23-17 at home and 23-16 on the road.

When the Cavs clinched a playoff berth on March 26 with a 108-91 win over the Houston Rockets, the players didn’t celebrate much. The focus remained on securing home court.