As the playoff race heats up, so does the talk. The Cavs are currently
31-36 and are three games back of the fifth seeded Milwaukee Bucks. A year
ago this time people would have thought you'd be crazy to say the Cavs would
be in the playoffs this year, let alone rising up the playoff seeding.

With the draft selection of LeBron James and the trades that brought in some key veterans, the Cavs have poised themselves for this postseason splash.

On January 12, the Cavs hit a season low of 15 games below .500 at 11-26. The loss was a 89-79 letdown in L.A. to the Lakers after they led late in the game. Since that point, the men in 'Wine n Gold' have gone an amazing 20-10. Twelve of those wins coming against playoff contending teams. Since the Ricky Davis trade that brought over Eric Williams, Tony Battie, and Kedrick Brown, Cleveland is 25-19. Since the Darius Miles trade that brought in PG Jeff McInnis, the Cavs are a stellar 17-8. With addition of Lee Nailon, Cleveland has won seven straight.

Recently, the Cavs have played some outstanding ball, each game with playoff intensity. With 15 games remaining on their schedule until the playoffs begin for real, I'll take a stab at checking the Cavaliers' current situation and possible teams that could arise as playoff foes.

a.) As of right now, the Cavs sit in the six hole which presents a matchup with the Detroit Pistons.

Since that is there state as of right now, let's go over the Pistons (3rd seed, 43-25). Detroit may not be the 'Bad Boys' of old, but this team brings a lot of toughness, especially in the frontcourt. That includes the likes of Ben Wallace and the newly acquired Rasheed Wallace. Cleveland has had some success this year against Detroit, going 2-1 vs. the Pistons with one game remaining in Cleveland on March 21.

b.) New Jersey Nets; if the Cavs fall one spot to no. 7. 

New Jersey (2nd seed, 40-25) gives many reasons for causes of concern. They have a decent post-up game with Kenyon Martin and a few veterans that can hit the open jumper. But the main concern lies in their ability to get out into the open court and get a lot of easy hoops. Their transition game that starts with their defense. In two games against the Nets this year, the Cavs haven't been able to avoid the New Jersey transition game and execute on offense. Both games resulted in losses. The Cavaliers have one game remaining with the defending Eastern Conference champs on March 27.

c.) Indiana Pacers; if the Cavs dropped to no. 8.

Indiana (1st seed, 49-17) is currently tied with the league's best overall record. They have a tough team built behind Rick Carlisle's defense. The Pacers offer many weapons with a dominating presence down low in Jermaine O'Neal, the overall game of Ron Artest, and clutch shooting from Reggie Miller. In the four-game series this season, Cleveland went 1-3 versus Indiana. There only win, the last game of the series, stopped an 11 game slide at Gund Arena.

d.) New Orleans; if the Cavs moved up to no. 5.
[the Cavs have an outside shot at the no. 5 spot, considering they have 2 games left against Milwaukee and are only 4 games behind the Bucks]

The Hornets (4th seed, 35-31) seem to bring out some big games out of the Cavaliers. Cleveland had one of its biggest comebacks in Cavaliers' history, coming back from 25 points down to dispose of the Hornets. Jamal Mashburn, with all of the injuries, could be out the entire playoffs. Baron Davis seems to turn up the heat against the Cavs and his former coach Paul Silas. Cleveland may have a slight advantage in having the ex-Hornets' coach, as in the four games this season, Cleveland has the edge 3 games to one.

The Cavaliers have fought their way up the ladder and still have a ways to go to secure their spot. With New York, Boston, Toronto, Miami, and Philadelphia still lingering around, nothing is for sure. But if the Cavs keep their composure and consistency, Gund Arena could be awakened during the month of May.

Zydrunas Ilgauskas is going to be a key factor in the last few weeks of the season. With him stepping up, the Cavs have found their niche in the Eastern Conference. With the additions of the Boston trio, McInnis, and Lee Nailon, the Cavs have poised themselves for an eventful run into the playoffs. A young LeBron James may find himself in the playoff spotlight sooner than expected. All we can say is "Go, Cavs, Go!"