Cavs get another game, and that might be the best medicine

The best way to forget about a spanking at the hands of the defending champs? For the Cavaliers, the answer is another game.

They will receive exactly that on Wednesday at Charlotte (7 p.m. EST), giving them a quick chance to wash away Monday afternoon. Hate to repeat it, but the Cavs were handled by the Thunder in front of the home fans, in case you forgot.

If you’re the Cavs, a case of amnesia may not be a bad idea. Learn from it. Grow from it. Use it to get better. Burn the tape. At least, that’s always the rally cry.

Anyway, the Cavs (24-20) are facing a Hornets team that doesn’t have a very good record (16-27), but has played much better lately. As my pal Jackson Flickinger of Fear The Sword noted, Charlotte enters with one of the league’s best net ratings over the past two weeks.

Yes, that includes a 55-point demolition of Utah that pads the numbers. It also reflects a team that has found a rhythm on offense and is playing with confidence. LaMelo Ball, Brandon Miller, and Kon Knueppel have driven that surge, putting pressure on defenses from the opening tip.

That will test a Cavs defense that has been solid most of the season but inconsistent lately. Without Darius Garland, the Cavs will again lean heavily on Donovan Mitchell to set the tone offensively, with Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen trying to control the paint.

All of that worked wonders last season. This year, well, it’s been clunky. Injuries play a role. So does just inconsistency from the men who are on the floor.

Anyway, this is a chance for the Cavs to show they’re closer to the team that won two straight in Philadelphia last week — and not the one that was pummeled by OKC. And not necessarily show us, but show themselves.

It also means something in the standings. For all the wailing and gnashing of teeth surrounding the season, Cleveland is a mere 1.5 games back of third in the Eastern Conference.