Community Picks: Charlotte Hornets 0% vs Atlanta Hawks 0%

Kevin Love and the Cavaliers could miss out on a No. 1 seed. Facing a Cavs team resting both LeBron James and Kyrie Irving in apparent disregard for the race for the No. 1 seed, the Heat came back from an 11-point deficit after three quarters to take a seven-point lead with 5:26 remaining in regulation. The Cavs came back to force overtime behind a strong performance from Deron Williams (35 points on 15-of-25 FG, nine assists, seven rebounds), but the Heat got out to a strong start in the extra period and held on through two separate four-point plays to avoid elimination from the playoffs. Continue to Article

April 11, 2017 4:50:am EST

Hassan Whiteside smiles like a man who knows he’s still got a shot. After the Indiana Pacers and Chicago Bulls each won on Monday night, the Miami Heat had to beat the Cleveland Cavaliers to keep their playoff hopes alive. After falling behind by double-digits early and by 14 in the third quarter, the Heat rallied to take a seven-point lead midway through the fourth with a hellacious 26-8 run fueled by point forward James Johnson and reserve shooter Wayne Ellington. Continue to Article

April 11, 2017 1:00:am EST

Things got very interesting at the top of the Eastern Conference on Monday night, as the Celtics took over the top spot from the Cavaliers with just one game remaining for both teams. One more win for the Celtics and they clinch the No. 1 seed. Boston beat the Nets at home, while the Cavs lost to the Heat on the road. Cleveland rested LeBron James, Kyrie Irving and Tristan Thompson in the loss, which perhaps shows how much they care about getting the top seed. If the current standings hold, the Wizards would likely meet the Celtics in the second round and not the defending champs. The Heat beating the Cavs keeps them alive in the playoff race, though the Bulls also won to maintain the eighth Continue to Article

April 10, 2017 6:11:pm EST

The Cavaliers appear set on a decision that will send shockwaves through the Eastern Conference. Joe Vardon of Cleveland.com: The Cavs are planning to start J.R. Smith, Richard Jefferson, Channing Frye, Iman Shumpert, and Deron Williams against the Heat, who need to win to keep pace with the Bulls for the eighth seed. Cleveland’s lineup listed above was posted as part of the team’s media notes for tonight’s game and is subject to change. This is huge for the Cavaliers, who are tied with the Celtics for the Eastern Conference’s best record. Cleveland has the tiebreaker, but this makes a loss to Miami – and falling to the No. 2 seed – far more likely. The Cavs lost twice to the Hawks over the weekend Continue to Article

April 10, 2017 2:06:pm EST

It was not a good weekend for the Cleveland Cavaliers, who lost both games of back-to-back to the Atlanta Hawks. The latter loss was particularly brutal for the Cavaliers, as they blew a 26-point lead, including 24 in the fourth quarter, to lose 126-125 in overtime on Sunday. After Paul Millsap hit three free throws to bring the Hawks within two with 8.3 seconds left, the Cavs inbounded the ball to Kyrie Irving. Continue to Article

April 10, 2017 1:38:pm EST