Reports say that the Cavaliers are ‘privately hoping’ for a first-round matchup in the playoffs against the Nets, rather than the Knicks

The 2022-23 regular season is quickly coming to an end and playoff-caliber teams are starting to see what potential matchups they may have. Getting ready for a deep playoff push is the Cleveland Cavaliers who is a four-seed in the East. If the standings hold up they would host a first-round series against the New York Knicks. Reports say that people within the Cavs organization are “privately hoping” for a matchup vs the Nets and not the Knicks in the first round. 

Currently, the New York Knicks have a (1.5) game lead over the Brooklyn Nets. That puts New York in fifth and the Nets in sixth. The Cavaliers want the opposite of that and they would need the Nets to win most of their games in the home stretch to make that happen.

Ohio Sports Betting sites have the Cavaliers at (+3500) to win the Finals this season.

Report: Multiple people in Cavs organization are privately hoping to face Nets in playoffs https://t.co/SaEMxRqOzv

— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) March 17, 2023

The Cavs are ‘privately hoping’ for a first-round matchup vs the Brooklyn Nets

It’s fairly obvious why the Cavaliers want to play the Nets in the first round and not the Knicks. Brooklyn is not a big threat in the East anymore after the trades of Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant. The Cavaliers have seen that firsthand this season losing two of the three games played vs the Knicks so far.

Cleveland will have a chance to split the season series with the Knicks in a home game on 3/31. Cavs insider Chris Fedor had this to report on hearing that some in the organization are hoping for a first-round matchup vs the Nets in the playoffs.

“No one inside the organization would say this publicly — and they shouldn’t,”… “But multiple people I’ve spoken to recently are privately hoping for a Brooklyn matchup. It’s easy to understand why. Even though the Cavs, with homecourt advantage, would likely be capable of competing — and possibly winning — a seven-game series against any of the teams currently behind them in the standings, the Nets would be Cleveland’s easiest path out of Round One.” – Chris Fedor

The Brooklyn Nets still have talent on their team, but it’s clear that they are the easier opponent for the Cavaliers. All season teams have beaten up the Nets down low and the Cavs know they could dominate there with Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley.

Another beneficial factor of playing the Nets is that they are still trying to build that regular-season chemistry, and have no playoff chemistry at all. The Cavs, on the other hand, do have teammates who’ve been in the postseason together, and on top of that, they now have Donovan Michell who has the most playoff experience on his team.