Cleveland Cavaliers vs Brooklyn Nets Prediction & Match Preview - May 16th, 2021 | NBA Season 2020-21
The Brooklyn Nets will host the Cleveland Cavaliers in an enticing final game of the 2020-21 NBA season at the Barclays Center in New York City. The two teams are meeting for the third time this season.
The Cleveland Cavaliers are on a 1-9 run and will only be playing for pride as they woefully missed out on postseason action.
Meanwhile, with playoff action guaranteed, the Brooklyn Nets will only seek to disrupt a regular-season sweep by the Cavaliers.
Match Details
Fixture: Cleveland Cavaliers vs Brooklyn Nets | NBA Season 2020-21.
Date & Time: Sunday, May 16th; 7:00 PM ET (Monday, 4:30 AM IST).
Venue: Barclays Center, New York City, New York.
Cleveland Cavaliers preview
The Cleveland Cavaliers have nothing to gain or lose in this matchup, except for bragging rights. They navigated the season with the third-worst offensive rating (105.7).
If the Cavaliers can complete the treble over this Brooklyn Nets superteam, it will be one more achievement the team can be proud of in the 2020-21 NBA regular season.
Darius Garland, Larry Nance Jr., and Jarrett Allen are worthy of honorable mentions as they have all been impactful for the Cleveland Cavaliers on both offense and defense. Garland is the team's second-leading scorer, averaging 17.4 with a .451 field goal percentage.
Key player - Collin Sexton
Collin Sexton has continued to topple his previous season's performances. With his stellar display this season, the youngster has proved that he can be a leader and produce for the team consistently.
Despite missing a few games due to injury, Sexton is still the number scorer for the Cleveland Cavaliers, averaging 24.5 points and 4.4 assists.
The last time both teams met, Sexton registered 25 points and nine assists to help his team to a 125-113 win.
Cleveland Cavaliers predicted lineup
Point Guard - Collin Sexton | Shooting Guard - Isaac Okoro l Small Forward - Cedi Osman l Power Forward - Dean Wade l Center - Jarrett Allen
Brooklyn Nets preview
The Brooklyn Nets will likely use this game to give its superstar trio some time on the court to help build chemistry ahead of the playoffs. It is another opportunity for the Nets to show why they deserve to be the number one offensive-rated team in the league.
With James Harden, Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant fit, stopping the Brooklyn Nets will be a tedious task. The team comes into this matchup off the back of a 105-91 win against the Chicago Bulls.
Key player - James Harden
James Harden is an exceptional basketball player and has continued to put in scintillating performances this season. Even though he was sidelined due to injury, the guard has continued to dazzle at every opportunity he gets.
In his first season with the Brooklyn Nets, Harden is averaging 25.1 points per game and 11 assists while shooting 47.1% from the field.
Brooklyn Nets predicted lineup
Point Guard - James Harden | Shooting Guard - Kyrie Irving l Small Forward - Bruce Brown Jr. l Power Forward - Kevin Durant l Center - Blake Griffin
Cavaliers vs Nets prediction
The Cleveland Cavaliers have shown that they can withstand the might of the Brooklyn Nets superteam. However, recent form suggests that this result will be a lot different than those of their last two meetings.
While it may be a hard-fought win, the Brooklyn Nets are the clear favorites because of the quality and depth of their squad.
Where to watch the Cavaliers vs Nets game
The Cleveland Cavaliers vs Brooklyn Nets game will be broadcast locally on YES2 and Bally Sports Ohio. The match can also be live-streamed via the NBA League Pass.