Tipoff: Quicken Loans Arena, Cleveland, 8 p.m.
Records: Cavaliers 35-22; Warriors 44-10.
TV: FOX Sports Ohio; TNT. Radio: WTAM 1100, 100.7 WMMS, 87.7 FM La Mega, AM 1590 WAKR (Akron)
Projected Starters
Warriors: C Andrew Bogut; PF Draymond Green; SF Harrison Barnes; SG Klay Thompson; PG Stephen Curry.
Cavaliers: C Timofey Mozgov; PF Kevin Love; SF LeBron James; SG J.R. Smith; PG Kyrie Irving.
Injury Report
Cavaliers: SF Shawn Marion (hip) out; C Anderson Varejao (Achilles) out.
Warriors: None to report.
Dribbles
1. Usually, I don't get too fired up over regular-season games. Don't get me wrong -- I love my job. But I've been doing this a long time, covering just about all 82 games, the playoffs, the preseason, plus most of the off-the-court stuff. I love it. But it's also a job.
2. Still, every once in a while a game comes along, in the middle or late in the season, that has me taking a different approach. It perks me up. It gets me excited. It brings out the fan in me, and I cannot wait to watch it. I think about the matchups. I think about what it might mean in the long run. I think about it all the night before it's played. That almost never happens. But this is one of those games. I am, in short, really looking forward to doing my job on a night like this.
3. Of course, I sometimes get excited when the Sacramento Kings or Utah Jazz come to town. It all depends on my mood, I suppose. So I guess what I'm trying to say is Cavs-Warriors overtakes any mood. It's just fun.
4. OK, enough about me. What are you up to?
5. Actually, let's talk about the game. The Cavs have been the hottest team in the East in the past two months, winning 17 of 19. The Warriors have been winning like that ALL year. No one on either side will be too overly concerned if they lose. But I can tell you both really REALLY want to win. Both know whatever happens will be all the talk on the always overly dramatic social-media circuit. No one wants to be on the bad side of that.
6. Since Jan. 15, the Cavs rank first in point differential (12.3-plus per game). Read: They're blowing out a lot of teams. They have won 10 straight at The Q, winning by an average of 15.2 points in that span.
7. The Cavs are 29-4 when scoring at least 100 points this season, including 17-0 at The Q. That is good news against the Warriors, who have struggled defensively on the road. In their last 14 road games, they are surrendering 104.7 points. Of course, they'll be considerably more fired up for this one than, say, the Jazz.
8. It wouldn't be surprising to see LeBron James try to defend Steph Curry or Klay Thompson at some point. He's bigger can get physical and force them off the 3-point line. And as Michael Jordan once said about defending Mark Price: "Frankly, the refs will let me get away with a little more" than his non-superstar teammates.
