Cleveland was unable to knock off the high-powered Warriors in June despite LeBron James’ masterful trek through the postseason where he carried the injury-riddled Cavaliers to the Finals. Without Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love, LBJ and company were left wondering if their full squad could have delivered a title to a long-suffering fan base in 2015.
While the Cavaliers did not land a big fish in free agency, they retained the core that was built to contend. Obviously, James is back along with Love, Iman Shumpert, J.R. Smith, and Matthew Dellavedova as part of the summer signings. One would expect Tristan Thompson to re-sign as well but both parties are negotiating a long-term contract before the big man hits his deadline to accept a qualifying offer from Cleveland on October 1. The Cavaliers acquired former Cavalier Mo Williams and veteran Richard Jefferson to add depth for the upcoming 2015-16 season.
On November 13, the Knicks entertain the Cavaliers at Madison Square Garden for the second matchup of the season. Last year, New York spoiled James’ homecoming season opener in Cleveland and the Knicks will look to duplicate that performance with a completely new roster. We’ll see a healthy Carmelo Anthony go head-to-head against his buddy James under the bright lights where the two All-Stars relish the opportunity to shine in front of the NYC crowd.
Adding to the intrigue for this Friday night tilt is the return of Smith and Shumpert to the Mecca. Smith earned a 6th Man of the Year award in New York and Shumpert began his NBA career with the Knicks as the 17th overall pick for the Knicks in 2011. The New York fans will look to make Smith and Shumpert's appearance at MSG an uncomfortable one and hand the defending Eastern Conference champs a defeat in this highly anticipated matchup.Matchups To Watch:Knicks at Bucks, October 28Knicks vs. Hawks, October 29Knicks vs. Spurs, November 2Knicks vs. Lakers, November 8VIDEO: Top 10 Matchups To Watch