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Constant change in rotations due to injuries and health protocols have caused the Brooklyn Nets to be on the verge of missing the playoffs after being picked by many to win the NBA Finals in the preseason.

While they have clinched a Play-In Tournament spot, the Nets are not guaranteed to make the playoffs and Friday night’s game against the Cleveland Cavaliers could very much determine if this team has what it takes to go on a magical postseason run.

Being one game back from the Cavs in the standings, Brooklyn would not only pull even with Cleveland for the 7-seed in the East with a win, but they would hold the rights to the 7-seed with one game remaining due to the fact that they would own the season tiebreaker over the Cavaliers.

This game has major implications on the Play-In Tournament in the Eastern Conference and if Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving and the Nets want to beat the Cavaliers, they will have to bring their “A-game” against this feisty Cleveland team.

Darius Garland has led the Cavaliers offensively all season long and with Evan Mobley possibly being back in the rotation on Friday, Cleveland is not going to back down so easily.

This could very well turn out to be the game of the year in the Eastern Conference and with plenty of big names on the court, we should expect nothing less than fireworks in Brooklyn tonight!

Here's how to watch Friday’s game, with gametimes and TV, lineups, bios and other must-know details.

How to watch Cavaliers vs. Nets

  • WHO: Cleveland Cavaliers (43-37) vs. Brooklyn Nets (42-38)
  • WHEN: 7:30 p.m. ET, Friday, April 8
  • WHERE: Barclays Center, Brooklyn, New York
  • TV: NBA League Pass
  • Stream: Fubo.tv CLICK HERE

Key Stats & Facts For Cavaliers vs. Nets

  • Brooklyn currently ranks ninth in the league in scoring (112.6 PPG), as Cleveland is only giving up an average of 105.4 points per game, the fourth-best mark in the league.
  • The Nets and Cavaliers have split their last six meetings with one another.
  • The Nets are just 18-21 at home this season, compared to the Cavaliers being 19-21 on the road.
  • Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving have combined to score an average of 59.1 points per game over the Nets’ last eight games.

Last Matchup:

January 17, 2022 - Nets 107, Cavaliers 114

After taking the first two games of this season series, the Nets fell 114-107 on the road in Cleveland. Without Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving led the way for Brooklyn with 27 points, but the Cavaliers’ starters combined for 77 points and Cleveland outscored the Nets 54-34 in the paint. The Cavaliers also took advantage of the Nets’ mistakes on offense, cashing in 22 points off of 14 turnovers by Brooklyn.

Cavaliers-Nets Most Recent Games:

  • Cavaliers last game: Struggling to find success without Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen in their lineup, the Cavaliers lost 120-115 in a critical road game to the Orlando Magic. Darius Garland scored 27 points, but 12 turnovers by the Cavaliers led to 17 points for the Magic, proving to be the difference in this one.
  • Nets last game: Down by 21 points in the second-half, the Nets came all the way back and outscored the New York Knicks 60-27 in the final 23 minutes of the game to pick up a massive win in Madison Square Garden. Kevin Durant recorded 32 points, 10 rebounds and 11 assists, as Kyrie Irving dropped 24 points, 8 rebounds, 7 assists and 3 steals in the win.

Latest Injury News:

Cavaliers: Jarett Allen (finger) - OUT, Collin Sexton (knee) - OUT, Dean Wade (knee) - OUT, Evan Mobley (ankle) - QUESTIONABLE

Nets: Ben Simmons (back) - OUT, Goran Dragic (health and safety protocols) - OUT, Joe Harris (ankle) - OUT, Seth Curry (ankle) - PROBABLE

Projected Starters:

PROJECTED CAVALIERS STARTERS:

  • G Darius Garland, 6-1 guard: 21.7 points, 8.7 assists
  • G/F Caris LeVert, 6-6 guard/forward: 17.2 points, 4.3 assists
  • G/F Isaac Okoro, 6-5 guard/forward: 8.9 points, 3.0 rebounds
  • F Lauri Markkanen, 7-0 forward: 14.6 points, 5.7 rebounds
  • F/C Evan Mobley, 7-0 center: 14.9 points, 8.3 rebounds

PROJECTED NETS STARTERS:

  • G Kyrie Irving, 6-2 guard: 27.5 points, 4.2 rebounds, 5.7 assists
  • G Seth Curry (P), 6-2 guard: 15.0 points, 3.6 assists
  • F Bruce Brown, 6-4 guard/forward: 8.7 points, 4.7 rebounds
  • F Kevin Durant, 6-10 forward: 29.9 points, 7.4 rebounds, 6.2 assists
  • C Andre Drummond, 6-10 center: 7.7 points, 9.2 rebounds

What to watch for:

  • The Cavaliers currently lead the Nets by one game for the 7-seed in the Eastern Conference with each team having two games remaining, including Friday’s game.
  • Darius Garland has been dominant on offense for the Cavaliers, scoring at least 22 points in 14 of his last 16 games.
  • Bruce Brown has been the X-factor for the Nets as of late, averaging 14.5 points, 5.4 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 1.4 blocks and shooting 54% from the floor over his last ten games.
  • This season, Cleveland is 31-18 in games where they shoot 45.1% or better from the floor. 
  • How To Watch Bucks at Pistons on Friday Night: The Milwaukee Bucks are just two games back of the 1-seed in the Eastern Conference, but they could be facing a “trap game” on Friday against the Detroit Pistons on the second-leg of a back-to-back. CLICK HERE.
  • How To Watch Knicks at Wizards on Friday Night: The 2021-22 NBA season has not been kind to either the New York Knicks or the Washington Wizards, but both teams are looking for a win to carry some momentum into the offseason. CLICK HERE.