The Cavaliers know the challenge that comes with the NBA Cup. They also know they have yet to figure it out.
Cleveland will open group play on Halloween at home against the Raptors, followed by matchups with the Wizards, Pacers and Hawks. Two games will be at Rocket Arena, two on the road. The margin for error? Almost zero. One loss often sinks a team’s chances of advancing, and the Cavs have never made it past the group stage.
Last season, they started 17-3 overall but went 0-2 against Boston and Atlanta in Cup play, eliminating them before December.
Of course, there will be no Celtics this year. Boston is in another group and has undergone significant roster changes. The biggest obstacle in Cleveland’s path is probably Atlanta, which ran the Cavs off the floor in back-to-back games last year.
Fittingly, the Hawks will be the final opponent on the Cup schedule, potentially turning that game into a do-or-die scenario.
Either way, as we’ve learned, winning the Cup doesn’t really guarantee playoff success. The Bucks won it last year, the Lakers the year before that. Both fell in the first round of the playoffs.
But hey, lifting a trophy in-season never hurts, right? For the Cavs, any hardware could be a step toward something bigger.
The full NBA schedule is set to be released on Thursday.
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What is “hardaware” Sam?
Hardaware: It’s the act of being so acutely AWARE of WHAT is really HARD that you can’t even afford to make even a very small mistake or ALL may be lost.
When you’re NOT Hardaware, It’s sort of like not being aware you could have traded away Darius instead of trading away L. Markkanen – a 7ft fill-in when Allen & Mobley need a rest or for foul trouble or for rebounding or shot-blocking,, –or otherwise NOT knowing about addition by subtraction when you have so many guards, & not enough bigs.
Thanks Sam, for giving us a little something to laugh about. They’ll be doing fine with the season ahead.