New Orleans @ Cleveland preview

Last Meeting ( Oct 28, 2017 ) Cleveland 101, New Orleans 123

The Cleveland Cavaliers are coming together as the postseason approaches and get a four-game homestand to try to lock up homecourt advantage in the first round. The Cavaliers will try to pick up their seventh win in eight games when they open that homestand by hosting the New Orleans Pelicans on Friday.

Cleveland enters play on Thursday in third place in the Eastern Conference, a half-game ahead of the Philadelphia 76ers, after bouncing back from a rare loss by knocking off the Charlotte Hornets 118-105 on Wednesday. That win came without All-Star forward Kevin Love, who was placed in the concussion protocol after taking an elbow to the face during a loss at Miami on Tuesday and is day-to-day. The Pelicans are fighting for position in the Western Conference and are sitting two games ahead of the ninth-place Los Angeles Clippers but are coming off back-to-back losses to a pair of teams above them in the standings. New Orleans dropped a 107-103 decision at home to the Portland Trail Blazers on Tuesday while committing 16 turnovers and giving up 17 offensive rebounds.

TV: 8 p.m. ET, ESPN, FS Ohio (Cleveland)

ABOUT THE PELICANS (43-32): Anthony Davis is trying to carry New Orleans but is getting plenty of help from guard Jrue Holiday, who collected a triple-double with 21 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists in the loss to Portland. "I think every game we've played, probably for a month and a half, felt like a playoff game," Holiday told reporters. "This one just hurts a little bit because we -- well, we really want to win every game, but this one, I think, we really wanted." Holiday took on some extra ball-handling responsibilities on Tuesday with Rajon Rondo (wrist) out, and Rondo is questionable for Friday.

ABOUT THE CAVALIERS (45-30): LeBron James continues to make history and is on the verge of passing Michael Jordan in consecutive double-digit scoring efforts. James scored 41 points in Wednesday's win to tie Jordan's record at 866 straight games. "I can't even tell you how I've been able to do it," James told reporters. "It's not like I go into every game saying, 'OK, I've got to get 10 points.' It's just kind of organic. It happens, and anytime I'm mentioned with some of the greats, and arguably the greatest basketball player of all time in Mike, it's just another feat for me to be appreciative and humbled by what I've been able to do."

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Cavaliers PG George Hill is 6-of-19 from the floor over the last two games after combining to go 19-of-27 in the previous three.

2. Pelicans PF Nikola Mirotic is shooting 29 percent from the floor, including 20.5 percent from 3-point range, over his last 10 games.

3. New Orleans took the first meeting 123-101 at home on Oct. 28.

PREDICTION: Cavaliers 119, Pelicans 114