Ranking Cleveland Cavaliers Five Most Important Games After NBA All-Star Break

Here are the five most important games for the Cavs following the All-Star break.

Dec 4, 2022; New York, New York, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell (45) attempts a shot against the New York Knicks during the first quarter at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Dennis Schneidler-Imagn Images | Dennis Schneidler-Imagn Images

With the NBA All-Star weekend behind us, the Cleveland Cavaliers are set to return to the court to face the Brooklyn Nets on Feb. 19.

The Cavs have 27 regular season games left, and here are a few matchups to keep on your radar.

1. Sunday, Feb. 22, at Oklahoma City Thunder

The Cavs were defeated by the Thunder 136-104 on their home court on Jan. 19, but that was before Cleveland made the trade for point guard James Harden.

Oklahoma City clinched the 2025 NBA Finals and is the clear favorite to repeat its success this season. However, Cleveland also has a strong chance of taking it all, and its upcoming game against the Thunder will be a crucial test of how close it is to championship contention.

The only concern is that the Thunder might be missing two of their top three players, as guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is recovering from an abdominal strain and forward Jalen Williams is dealing with a strained right hamstring.

2. Tuesday, Feb. 24, vs. New York Knicks

The Knicks are currently one of the top teams in the Eastern Conference, and the Cavaliers will likely need to beat them in the playoffs to reach the NBA Finals. Cleveland will get its first opportunity to match up against the Knicks since acquiring Harden. His arrival has positively transformed the Cavaliers, and it will be interesting to see how Cleveland performs in games against the top teams in the conference moving forward.

3. Friday, Feb. 27, at Detroit Pistons & Tuesday, March 3 vs. Pistons

The Pistons are currently atop the Eastern Conference with an impressive 40-13 record, positioning them as a strong playoff contender. While Detroit is a young team that hasn't yet won a playoff series with this core, it certainly has the talent to challenge any team in the East and make things tough for opponents.

Just like the Knicks game, Cleveland can use its matchup with the Pistons as a measuring stick to assess where it stands against a team that has put forth the best effort in the East.

4. Sunday, March 8 vs. Boston Celtics

The Celtics will be rolling into Cleveland, and this could be a significant game if forward Jayson Tatum returns to the court after the torn Achilles tendon he suffered in May. Boston doesn’t pose much of a threat in the playoffs without Tatum, but if he’s healthy and playing, the Celtics could become a team to watch out for.

5. Tuesday, March 31, at Los Angeles Lakers

This game is significant for the Cavs, as it might be the last time LeBron James plays against Cleveland. With James facing a player option this offseason, there's a strong possibility he could opt out and become a free agent. He could potentially retire or even return home to play for the Cavs, bringing his incredible career full circle.

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