Cavs get another game flexed to national spotlight

The Cavs’ home game against the New York Knicks will now be aired on ESPN.

The Cleveland Cavaliers and New York Knicks, a rivalry dating back to their 2023 playoff battle, will have their April 2nd game broadcast by ESPN per an official release. This game replaces the previously scheduled national showing between the Miami Heat and Boston Celtics. Tip-off is at 7:00 pm EST at the newly-renamed Rocket Arena.

The Cavs may be slumping of late, but they remain six games ahead of the Celtics for the top spot in the Eastern Conference. They have also already won the division outright, but that is less important in the grand scheme of things.

As for the Knicks, there is quite a bit more at stake. They hold the three seed in the Eastern Conference, but it’s possible they could fall to as far as six if things take a drastic turn. The Indiana Pacers are just three games behind New York, while the Milwaukee Bucks are four games behind and the Detroit Pistons are four-and-a-half games off. The Knicks are coming off some dispiriting losses of late as well, including a 17-point drubbing at the hands of the woeful Charlotte Hornets.

The Cavs are no stranger to having games flexed to the national stage, and for good reason. But given their recent struggles, this could present as a good opportunity to put themselves in playoff mode. With the home crowd behind them, the Cavs should go into the game with the mindset of treating it like a playoff game.

Speaking of Detroit, the Pistons have had their game flexed to the national stage as well. They will face off against the Western Conference-leading Oklahoma City Thunder, which replaces the previously scheduled matchup between the New Orleans Pelicans and the Los Angeles Clippers.