82-0

The NBA schedule is out. The Cavs have tied for an NBA record 82 games, but then we knew this would be a big year.

All I've heard so far from the people who care about these things is how hard their teams' schedule is. Since people caring about these things is new to me, I'm here to hop on the bandwagon.

Damn the Cavs schedule is tough! We open the season against the defending champions - the hottest team in the league. How are we supposed to contend with a schedule like that?

If Ori plays his cards right, he and I will be headed off to Game 2, the home opener against Charlotte, while the wife takes care of the youngins.

The rest of November seems pretty mundane. Wait, sorry, I'm doing this wrong....

We got screwed! 4 back to backs in the opening month?? 3 on the road? The wheels will come off by December! With 3 of our first 4 on the road at Boston, New Orleans and Dallas, we will be tested early. We should definitely be in double digit wins after a month - I'd guess 11-6.

Tue 28 @ Boston
Thu 30 vs Charlotte
Sat 01 @ New Orleans
Mon 03 @ Dallas
Wed 05 vs Chicago
Fri 07 vs Indiana
Sat 08 @ Chicago
Tue 11 vs Milwaukee
Thu 13 vs Denver
Sat 15 vs Utah
Tue 18 @ New Jersey
Wed 19 @ Detroit
Sat 22 vs Atlanta
Tue 25 @ New York
Wed 26 vs Oklahoma City
Fri 28 vs Golden State
Sat 29 @ Milwaukee

December brings 3 more roadie back ends, so 7 through 2 months. I think last year was 16, and we were middle of the pack. I'm pretty excited for December 21 @Oklahoma City, even if that's just a lousy team in a lousy city. Christmas pits Santa Bron against Deshawn and his Wizard Elves in the last of 5 Christmas day games. Where's a Jewish kid supposed to find time to squeeze in movies and Chinese food?

In all, December should be a cake walk, a good time to get on a roll. Seriously, we could be undefeated. Check this out:
Wed 03 vs New York
Fri 05 vs Indiana
Sat 06 @ Charlotte
Tue 09 vs Toronto
Wed 10 @ Philadelphia
Fri 12 vs Philadelphia
Sat 13 @ Atlanta
Wed 17 @ Minnesota
Fri 19 @ Denver
Sun 21 @ Oklahoma City
Tue 23 vs Houston
Thu 25 vs Washington
Sun 28 vs Miami
Tue 30 @ Miami

Where are we losing? At Denver has to be the toughest game in there. Houston is tough, but that's at home. Philly should be good, so maybe we split that home and home. Miami? I could argue the same thing, but they're a crapshoot. If we lost 4 of these, I'd be disappointed.

January is where it starts to get tough. Sorry.

The misery continues in January! 3 back to backs, though only 1 is a roadie. Of course, that one is Utah, so it's probably a loss. I hate Carlos Boozer. Unlike December, we face a lot of winning teams.

Fri 02 vs Chicago
Sun 04 @ Washington
Wed 07 vs Charlotte
Fri 09 vs Boston
Tue 13 @ Memphis
Thu 15 @ Chicago
Fri 16 vs New Orleans
Mon 19 @ LA Lakers
Wed 21 @ Portland
Fri 23 @ Golden State
Sat 24 @ Utah
Tue 27 vs Sacramento
Thu 29 @ Orlando
Fri 30 vs LA Clippers

I could see us sliding through a .500 month, since Memphis is the only roadie gimme.

February will be another tough month, with a couple tough home games, plus 3 back to backs, including the start of 4 games in 5 nights in Houston and San Antonio.

Sun 01 @ Detroit
Tue 03 vs Toronto
Wed 04 @ New York
Sun 08 vs LA Lakers
Tue 10 @ Indiana
Wed 11 vs Phoenix
Wed 18 @ Toronto
Fri 20 @ Milwaukee
Sun 22 vs Detroit
Tue 24 vs Memphis
Thu 26 @ Houston
Fri 27 @ San Antonio

No games between 2/11 and 2/18? Do they play an exhibition game in there or something? Home for Memphis is another gimme, but we could ostensibly lose every other game. If I had to predict, I'd put us at 7-5 for the month.

March will be a boring month barring a race for playoff positioning, but it'll be a busy one. 17 games in 31 days, but only 3 back to backs, starting with the easy half of that 4 in 5 nights. We end the month with 8 of 9 at home, against mostly lousy teams, so if we do need to move up in the standings, there is our chance.

Sun 01 @ Atlanta
Mon 02 @ Miami
Wed 04 vs Milwaukee
Fri 06 @ Boston
Sat 07 vs Miami
Tue 10 @ LA Clippers
Thu 12 @ Phoenix
Fri 13 @ Sacramento
Sun 15 vs New York
Tue 17 vs Orlando
Thu 19 vs Portland
Sat 21 vs Atlanta
Sun 22 @ New Jersey
Wed 25 vs New Jersey
Fri 27 vs Minnesota
Sun 29 vs Dallas
Tue 31 vs Detroit

That first home game against Milwaukee after being on the road for 4 in 5 is a total trap game. I'll say 10-7, just so I can add them all up at the end.

April brings a lot of attention with 5 of 8 games on national TV. I wouldn't be surprised if 7 of the 8 games are against playoff bound teams, but at that point, it might just mean resting stars. If we are jockeying for position, I'll feel pretty good finishing the schedule with 4 of 6 at home, traveling only to Philly and Indy.

Thu 02 @ Washington
Fri 03 @ Orlando
Sun 05 vs San Antonio
Wed 08 vs Washington
Fri 10 @ Philadelphia
Sun 12 vs Boston
Mon 13 @ Indiana
Wed 15 vs Philadelphia

Knowing the Cavs, throw a couple of these away and end up at 5-3 or so.

Completely unscientifically, that's 51 wins, the best of the Lebron/Mike Brown era. Really, who knows how it'll play out. Can't wait for camp to start and Kunta Delonte to be there.

Go Cavs!