Cavaliers 2016-17 Schedule: Top Games, Championship Odds and Record Predictions
The Cleveland Cavaliers ended the city's 52-year championship drought with a thrilling seven-game triumph over the Golden State Warriors in last season's NBA Finals. Now the question is what will they do for an encore as LeBron James and Co. prepare to defend the title.
While it's been a relatively quiet offseason for the Cavs with only a couple of minor additions, the Warriors added prized free agent Kevin Durant to their roster. It adds another layer of intrigue as the teams stare down a potential third straight meeting for the title at season's end.
There's a lot of basketball to get played before that possibility comes into play, though. Let's check out all of the important information following the league's schedule release along with a prediction for how Cleveland will do during the regular season.
2016-17 Details
Season Opener: 10/25 vs. New York Knicks
Championship Odds: 7-2 (via Odds Shark)
Full Schedule: NBA.com
Top Matchups
Golden State Warriors: Dec. 25
While things can happen in the coming months to change the outlook, most notably a major injury to either side, it sure seems like the Cavaliers and Warriors are on another Finals collision course. They are the clear favorites in their respective conferences.
In turn, the level of intrigue surrounding their regular-season matchups is sky-high, especially after the Dubs' addition of Durant. Whether having two clear superpowers is good for the sport is up for debate, but the head-to-head clashes are must-see television.
Steve Ilardi of ESPN Insider provided a note about a potential third straight championship meeting:
Picking up Durant to play alongside Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green gives the Warriors an incredible amount of star power. It's uncertain whether adding another high-end perimeter scorer is what they needed to combat the more physical Cavs, though.
In fact, Cleveland is likely to double down on its more aggressive style during their meetings with the Warriors to see how they respond. Golden State might enter the campaign as a slight favorite, but their games should be memorable affairs.
Toronto Raptors: Oct. 28, Nov. 15, Dec. 5, April 12
It's easy to forget how close the battle atop the Eastern Conference was last season given the Cavs' success once the playoffs started. The Raptors matched Cleveland win for win throughout most of the season, finishing just one game behind at the end of the regular season.
The Boston Celtics could push their way into the mix at the top following the addition of Al Horford. But otherwise it's looking like Toronto will once again be among the biggest threats in the East after re-signing DeMar DeRozan, who would have left a massive void if he left in free agency.
Jim Weber of Lost Lettermen provided his outlook for the East:
There's an interesting dynamic budding because the overall competitiveness of the East is rising with the Chicago Bulls and New York Knicks among the teams making improvements. So it could be difficult for the Cavs to pull away from the pack once again.
While Cleveland doesn't necessarily need home-court advantage throughout the East playoffs, it's a nice edge to have in their back pocket. So games with the Raptors, and potentially the Celtics, carry a little extra weight during the regular season.
Record Prediction
The Cavaliers won 57 games last season to claim the top seed in the Eastern Conference. It's a strong record that's even more remarkable when you consider the seemingly constant turmoil the team dealt with throughout the campaign, eventually leading to the firing of head coach David Blatt.
Of course, winning cures all ills. Instead of looking for more ways to revamp the roster around James and Kyrie Irving, Cleveland general manager David Griffin expressed confidence in the core the franchise has in place, per Marc Stein of ESPN.
"We do intend to keep this group together and see what we're capable of," Griffin told NBA Lockdown Insiders on ESPN Radio.
Ultimately, there's a greater sense of stability now with head coach Tyronn Lue leading the way and the pressure of trying to win Cleveland a championship finally off the team's shoulders. It should allow them to enjoy this season more compared to last year's grind.
The key question is whether they can find a way to maximize Kevin Love's skill set. He became the odd man out at times during the championship run. While it worked out in the end, they likely need him to become an impact player again to repeat. So they'll probably tinker with his role until something clicks.
All told, the Cavaliers' outlook remains highly encouraging. They are one of the select few teams with a realistic chance of winning the title. As for a regular season, a push toward 60 wins seems reasonable, but the main goal is making sure they're prepared for the postseason.
Prediction: 60-22
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