CALIFORNIA DREAMIN’
With just five games remaining in the regular season, the Wine & Gold undertake their final two road games of the year in Los Angeles, beginning with a Saturday afternoon showdown against LeBron James and the Lakers.
Still trying to find their rhythm with the postseason just two weeks away, the Cavaliers fell to 1-2 on the current roadie – dropping a one-sided decision on Wednesday night in Phoenix. Devin Booker and Kevin Durant combined for 72 points and the Suns shot 55 percent from the floor as a team – running out to a 25-point edge at intermission and holding off Cleveland’s attempt to rally in the second half.
The Lakers, on the other hand, are beginning to heat up with the Playoffs looming – having now won three straight and eight of their last nine, including a close win over the Wizards on Wednesday night. Anthony Davis had a monster night and LeBron pitched in with 25 points as Los Angeles wrapped up a six-game road trip.
After sweeping the two-game set last year, the Cavaliers fell in their lone meeting with the Lakers this season – dropping a six-point decision in late November in Cleveland. The Wine & Gold wrap up the 2023-24 road schedule on Sunday afternoon, taking on James Harden, Paul George and the Clippers.
DOWN WITH THE KING
Now in his 21st season, LeBron James has barely lost a step. He comes into Saturday’s contest against his former team leading the Lakers in scoring (25.4ppg), assists (8.1apg) and steals (1.18spg) and is second in rebounding (7.3rpg) behind Anthony Davis, who boasts the league’s 3rd -best mark in that category.
This year, the 39-year-old James has doubled-up on 24 occasions and has four triple-doubles. He’s posted 14 games with at least 30 points and three games topping the 40-point plateau – two of those coming over the last two weeks.
In eight meetings against his former squad, James has topped the 20-point mark in all eight – with games of 38 and 46 points in the mix. He notched 22 points in this year’s win back in November, but the Cavs made him work for it, going 8-for-23 from the floor, including 1-of-9 from long-range.
Like most teams, the Cavs will throw plenty of looks at the 20-time All-Star, although he’ll officially start out against Max Strus.
Strus comes into the final road weekend of the season averaging career highs in scoring, rebounding and assists – and he’s been solid since his return from a right knee injury. Over that five-game span, the 4th-year man from DePaul is averaging 13.4ppg on 55 percent shooting, barely missing a triple-double (but still finishing with a career-high-tying 12 rebounds) in Wednesday night’s loss in Phoenix.
TALL ORDER
LeBron isn’t the only Laker having yet another outstanding season. Anthony Davis has been spectacular all year – currently the league’s third-leading rebounder (12.8rpg), its 4th-ranked shot-blocker (2.36) and has tallied the third-most double-doubles (61).
Davis has also proved his durability this year, suiting up for 72 games, most since his final season in New Orleans back in 2017-18. The former No. 1 overall pick – who’s also second on the squad in scoring (24.8ppg) – has posted 16 games of 30-plus points and has gone for 40-plus on three more occasions.
One of those 30-point outbursts came against the Cavaliers in L.A.’s win back in November – leading both teams with 32 points and the Lakers with 13 rebounds, adding a pair of steals and three blocked shots.
He’ll lock horns for much of the night against Evan Mobley, who posted his fourth straight 20-point game in Wednesday’s loss in Phoenix – finishing with 20 points, nine boards and five assists in the loss. Over that four-game stretch, the former USC standout is averaging an even 21.0 points per on 70 percent shooting.
In the November meeting against L.A., Mobley finished with 18 points on 8-of-12 shooting, adding six boards, six assists, a game-high four steals and a blocked shot.