You would think a LeBron James led team would be strong after a loss, but the Cavaliers are just 6-8 against the spread this season coming off a defeat while Charlotte is 16-12 ATS after a win. Guard Kemba Walker scored 20 points and center Frank Kaminsky scored 16 off the bench for the Hornets, who had their five-game winning streak ended.
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“It’s how my body was feeling”, James said Wednesday after the Cleveland Cavaliers held shootaround in preparation for their game against the Charlotte Hornets.
Eastern Conference Central Division fourth ranking team Detroit Pistons defeated the conference leader Cleveland Cavaliers with a 96-88 victory at the Quicken Loans Arena on Monday night.
“There’s so much great basketball being played, and I understand that those guys are the cream of the crop”, James said.
“(I’m) just going in the gym shooting”, Frye said.
Following the game, Irving revealed he played only 9 minutes February 21 against the Thunder after being bitten by bed bugs in his Oklahoma City hotel.
However, the Cavaliers (40-15) would not go quietly, as a Kyrie Irving layup with 2:28 remaining capped a 12-0 run and cut the Pistons’ lead to six. They’re the defending champions and they’ve continued to get better as they were from past year.
“He adds another dynamic piece to our team we hadn’t had up to this point”, James said.
Cavs coach Tyronn Lue debated resting the superstar after he exerted so much energy in Sunday’s win, but elected to play him.
Frye checked in during the second quarter of the team’s home game against the Pistons, despite not having practiced with the team nor even participating in a team walkthrough.
“We knew they would give us everything they had because they didn’t live up to their standards in their last game here, ” he said. He was hurt colliding with Pistons C Andre Drummond on Sunday…. Frye has passed his final medical tests and is expected to make his debut against Detroit. Cavs G Mo Williams visited noted surgeon Dr. James Andrews on Tuesday and was diagnosed with chondromalacia, or swelling under the knee. They have split two meetings this season, both game of which were in Charlotte. But the Cavs bench will need to be better than it was against the Pistons – especially with Iman Shumpert still on the shelf with a sprained left shoulder – if they hope to avenge their loss to Charlotte from earlier this month.
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He’s already posted more double-doubles this season (nine) than he had in his previous four seasons combined and this year, he and Kevin Durant are the only two players in the league who’ve knocked down at least 80 three-pointers and swatted at least 50 shots.
