3/01 @ BKN — I Know, the desk before tip-off Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in. Brooklyn comes in 0-5 over its last five, scoring 105 a night and allowing 123, shooting 46 percent and 34 from three, 22 free throws a game; Porter Jr. at 22 and Claxton at 14 a game. That is 5 straight losses. It has lost the glass by 9 a night. Without Johnson (23 straight), Etienne (37 straight). One day's rest. Cleveland comes in 2-3 over its last five, scoring 115 a night and allowing 114, shooting 47 percent and 36 from three, 26 free throws a game; Mitchell at 25 and Allen at 22 a game. Without Harden (2 straight), Mitchell (2 straight). One day's rest. So: Cleveland wins, on the road, and the game turns on the defense, Cleveland allowing 114 a night to Brooklyn's 123 and the glass, where Cleveland has been minus-2 a night and Brooklyn minus-9. Call it Cleveland 118, Brooklyn 111.

3/03 vs DET — I Know, the desk before tip-off Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in. Cleveland comes in 2-3 over its last five, scoring 113 a night and allowing 111, shooting 47 percent and 36 from three, 28 free throws a game; Harden at 21 and Allen at 20 a game. Without Mitchell (3 straight), Wade (2 straight). One day's rest. Detroit comes in 4-1 over its last five, scoring 116 a night and allowing 110, shooting 46 percent and 26 from three, 23 free throws a game; Duren at 26 and Cunningham at 23 a game. That is 3 straight wins. It has won the glass by 11 a night. Without Stewart (7 straight), Huerter (2 straight). One day's rest. So: Cleveland wins, and the game turns on the glass, where Detroit has been plus-11 a night and Cleveland plus-0 and the arc, Cleveland at 36 percent from three to Detroit's 26. Call it Cleveland 115, Detroit 114, Detroit keeping it close.

3/08 vs BOS — I Know, the desk before tip-off Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in. Cleveland comes in 3-2 over its last five, scoring 113 a night and allowing 109, shooting 46 percent and 37 from three, 29 free throws a game; Harden at 20 and Allen at 20 a game. Without Mitchell (4 straight), Wade (3 straight). 4 days' rest. Boston comes in 4-1 over its last five, scoring 116 a night and allowing 102, shooting 48 percent and 39 from three, 18 free throws a game; Brown at 25 and White at 20 a game. It has won the glass by 13 a night. One day's rest. So: Boston wins, on the road, and the game turns on the glass, where Boston has been plus-13 a night and Cleveland minus-1 and the line, where Cleveland takes 29 free throws a game to Boston's 18. Call it Boston 113, Cleveland 111, Cleveland keeping it close.

3/09 vs PHI — I Know, the desk before tip-off Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in. Cleveland comes in 2-3 over its last five, scoring 110 a night and allowing 112, shooting 45 percent and 35 from three, 28 free throws a game; Mobley at 20 and Allen at 20 a game. Second night of a back-to-back. Philadelphia comes in 2-3 over its last five, scoring 107 a night and allowing 118, shooting 44 percent and 33 from three, 20 free throws a game; Maxey at 28 and Oubre Jr. at 16 a game. It has lost the glass by 7 a night. Without Edgecombe (2 straight), George (16 straight), Embiid (4 straight). One day's rest. So: Cleveland wins, and the game turns on the line, where Cleveland takes 28 free throws a game to Philadelphia's 20 and the glass, where Cleveland has been minus-3 a night and Philadelphia minus-7. Call it Cleveland 116, Philadelphia 112, Philadelphia keeping it close.