CLEVELAND — For the first time in five years, the Cleveland Cavaliers (47-28) are on the verge of clinching a spot in the NBA playoffs.
With their 116-114 victory over the Brooklyn Nets on Thursday, the Cavs' magic number to clinch their first playoff appearance since the 2017-2018 season is now just one.
Since the Brooklyn Nets beat the Miami Heat on Saturday, the Cavs' next opportunity to clinch is on Sunday when they host the Houston Rockets at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. With seven games remaining on Cleveland's schedule, it appears to be a matter of not "if" but rather "when" the Cavs will secure a spot in the NBA playoffs for the first time in a half-decade.
As for the possibility of the Cavs having a homecourt advantage for a first-round series, Cleveland will have to remain in at least fourth place between now and the end of the NBA's regular season.
In order to do that, the Cavs' magic number is now three games. That means that any combination of Cleveland wins and New York Knicks losses that total three will result in the Cavs clinching the No. 4 seed and having homecourt advantage in the first round of the playoffs.
As for Cleveland's likeliest opponent, the Cavs appear poised to face the Knicks, who at 42-33 currently sit in fifth place in the Eastern Conference. According to PlayoffStatus.com, Cleveland has a 67 percent chance of facing New York, with the Cavs also having a 67 percent chance of having a homecourt advantage in the series.