NBA fans wonder if Cavaliers tanked fourth quarter for playoff seeding

NBA

By Christian Arnold

If the Cavaliers had been making an attempt to lose on objective Sunday, then they didn’t appear to be hiding it one bit. 

The Cavaliers fell to the Hornets, 120-110, after pulling practically their total beginning lineup — save for Max Staus — and tuning to their bench to complete out the season finale. 

The eight-point lead that Cleveland possessed heading into the ultimate quarter of the sport evaporated, and the Hornets took management of the lead, ensuing within the loss and Cleveland claiming the No. 4 seed within the playoffs. 

The choice by Cavaliers head coach J.B. Bickerstaff drew loads of debate as as to whether he purposefully tanked Sunday’s recreation with a purpose to land the fourth seed within the playoffs and safe a neater first-round matchup within the Magic.

The Magic are within the playoffs for the primary time in 2020 and solely the third time since 2012.

For his half, Bickerstaff maintained postgame that the Cavaliers’ plan all alongside had been to provide the bench gamers an opportunity to get a while on the court docket Sunday. 

“We instructed the fellows beforehand we wished everyone to get a chance to play,” Bickerstaff mentioned. “We had our plan rather than what we had been gonna do with our guys. [The starters] had been going to play these three quarters.”

Nonetheless, some skeptics felt the choice was made primarily based across the playoff seeding state of affairs and with a purpose to stop themselves from having to doubtlessly face the Joel Embiid-led 76ers within the first spherical. 

Because of the Knicks and Bulls having gone to extra time, the Cavaliers might have very simply ended up dealing with the 76ers.

The Knicks eventually won in OT. 

Whereas the choice landed them the Magic within the first spherical, it arrange a possible second-round matchup with the Celtics — an Japanese Convention juggernaut.

And probably taking the chance of dropping Sunday’s recreation eradicated the prospect on the No. 3 seed and a first-round assembly with the Pacers and the prospect to keep away from the Celtics till the convention finals, in the event that they even beat the Magic.  

“Reside time it’s troublesome making an attempt to get all that data,” Bickerstaff mentioned regarding the different video games occurring and the playoff seeding state of affairs. “We had been conscious as a few of that stuff was occurring, however as soon as we sat our guys on the finish of the third quarter and so they had the mindset that they weren’t going to return in, I didn’t need to take any dangers in placing them again within the recreation.”

Nonetheless, that received’t save the Cavs and Bickerstaff from the wrath of some NBA followers. 

“The Cavs deliberately dropping for a matchup they like higher tells you the whole lot it’s essential find out about what they consider themselves. Fairly embarrassing. Whew,” one user on X wrote. 

The NBA playoffs received’t start till April 20 after the play-in match takes place to spherical out the ultimate two spots within the postseason. 

Will probably be the primary time for the reason that 2009 Japanese Convention Finals that the Magic and Cavaliers will face every one other within the playoffs.