Projecting Where Cleveland Cavaliers Can Be Finished in Eastern Conference

With the Cleveland Cavaliers winning seven of their last eight, losing their first game since the James Harden trade Sunday to the Oklahoma City Thunder, it’s safe to say the team is the hottest in the NBA.

The Eastern Conference is still very much up for the grabs, with the Cavaliers currently sitting at fourth with a 36-22 record.

It’s time to start thinking about how high the Cavaliers can reach in the standings by the end of the year.

The season-changing trades

Ever since the Cavaliers brought Harden in, along with Keon Ellis and Dennis Schroder, at the trade deadline, the team has taken a massive leap forward.

Donovan Mitchell is playing at the peak of his game, Jarrett Allen looks like a star out there and the entire bench is able to find ways to contribute.

Harden has been able to provide a level of consistency and leadership that the Cavaliers haven't seen from Darius Garland this season. With Garland running the point, it was a matter of figuring out when he was actually available, then hoping he wasn’t dealing with a lingering issue that continues to slow him down.

Now Harden is healthy and the team is responding around him. Harden also has a unique knack of getting the most out of bigs, like he is with Allen, who is averaging a 20-point double-double since Harden arrived.

Schroder has been able to provide a spark off the bench for Cleveland. He is averaging around nine points and four assists per game.

Ellis is averaging six, but gives Cleveland some great defense including 1.7 steals per game.

That duo provides a spark that Cleveland needs in tough stretches of games. There is comfortability that the starters can come out and Cleveland can withstand those minutes with efficient offense and great defense.

Strength of schedule

The Cleveland Cavaliers have the fourth easiest remaining schedule in the NBA based on strength of schedule.

Meanwhile, two of the three teams ahead of them in the standings are inside the top 10 for hardest with the Detroit Pistons (7) and the Boston Celtics (6).

Cleveland gets to play Detroit twice to try and make up some ground, and they play the Celtics and the New York Knicks once each.

Cleveland is seven and a half games behind Detroit, one behind New York and two behind Boston.

Final verdict

The Cleveland Cavaliers should be able to finish in second place in the East. The Celtics and Knicks have had some stretches of inconsistency throughout the year. If Cleveland can stay consistent, they should be able to pass them in the next few weeks. Catching Detroit may be harder, and likely won't happen before the end of the season. That doesn’t mean the Pistons are untouchable in the playoffs though.

Getting the two-seed would allow Cleveland to play a play-in team in the first round. Historically, that has gone well for the higher seed and is something Cleveland needs to focus on getting.