For two teams that are well ahead of schedule, that’s probably not something you expected to read coming into the 2021-22 season.
Not even eight months after selecting third and fourth, respectively, in the 2021 NBA Draft, the Cavaliers and Raptors are now side-by-side in the Eastern Conference standings, with each team looking to avoid the NBA’s Play-In Tournament and an almost-inevitable date with Kevin Durant and the Nets.
Between Cleveland and Toronto, who’s got the upper hand?
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Eastern Conference standings, Play-In Tournament picture
(Standings entering Thursday, March 24.)
This snapshot of the teams in the mix for the Eastern Conference Play-In Tournament illustrates just how fluid the situation currently is.
While the Raptors have an opportunity to tie the Cavaliers in the standings with a win on Thursday, they wouldn’t move up in due to the NBA’s tie-break rules.
Because Cleveland won each of its first three meetings with Toronto, it has clinched the four-game season series between the two teams, with Thursday’s game serving as the fourth and final head-to-head meeting.
*Raptors had 10 players in Health and Safety protocols, including five leading scorers
In order to earn a higher seed than the Cavaliers, the Raptors must finish at least one full game ahead in the standings by the season’s end.
While Toronto won’t have an opportunity to move up on Thursday, it can gain a much-needed game in the standings.
A Cleveland win on Thursday does not guarantee a better seed than Toronto, but it would go a long way given the fact that each team will have fewer than 10 games remaining in the season after Thursday.
Needless to say, there is plenty at stake for both parties.
Raptors schedule 2021-22
According to Tankathon, which uses the cumulative win percentage of remaining schedules, the Raptors have the 11th-easiest remaining schedule in the league.
Eight of Toronto’s final 10 games come at home, with its two road games coming against teams that are not in the playoff picture. The Raptors don’t have to worry about traveling to the west coast at all and all of their games will tip in the eastern time zone.
Cavaliers schedule 2021-22
Cleveland’s remaining schedule ranks 15th in toughness, per Tankathon.
The Cavs’ remaining home and away games are evenly split, with home games coming against playoff teams in the Bulls, Mavericks, 76ers and Bucks. The Cavs don’t have any trips to the west coast remaining on their schedule.
