Cleveland Cavaliers: playoff chances and predictions

Q: Will the Cleveland Cavaliers make the playoffs?

Our model gives them est. 90% as of Oct 9 (a top-6 seed or a spot through the play-in), with a title chance of est. <1%. It's a projection from the data and it changes as the season goes.

Q: When do the Cavaliers play next?

Cleveland Cavaliers at Philadelphia 76ers, Thu, Oct 22. Our pick posts before tip-off (preseason: picks start oct 20).

Every pick is stored before tip-off and graded after the final, so you can check how we've done on Cavaliers games. How accurate →

Will the Cleveland Cavaliers make the playoffs? Our model says est. 90% as of Oct 9, with a title chance of est. <1%.

Making the playoffs = a top-6 seed in the East or a spot through the play-in. Preseason draft · the projection on record is locked Mon Oct 19.

power ranking of 30

+1.4

strength per 100 possessions

est. wins (range 39–50)

est. <1%

title chance

Team strength

Our model rates the Cavaliers 1.4 points per 100 possessions better than an average team, #8 of 30. Strength comes from the current roster's lineup ratings, minutes-weighted. 52 wins last season.

Who drives it	Min	Rating
Donovan Mitchell	28	+7.0
Jarrett Allen	23	+4.1
Evan Mobley	27	+2.8
Sam Merrill	22	+2.0
James Harden	29	+0.6

Chances this season

From 5,000 simulated seasons. Estimates, not promises; nobody is "in" or "out" until it's mathematically settled.

Make the playoffs	est. 90%
Play-in (7th to 10th)	est. 25%
No. 1 seed in the East	est. <1%
Win the East	est. 4%
Win the title	est. <1%

All 30 teams on the Season page →

Next game

Next: Cleveland Cavaliers at Philadelphia 76ers, Thu, Oct 22, 7:00 PM ET.

Preseason: picks start Oct 20. Our pick posts before tip-off.

Every Cavaliers pick, graded

Preseason: picks start Oct 20; every one gets graded in public. Every graded pick →

Quick answers

Will the Cleveland Cavaliers make the playoffs?

Our model gives them est. 90% as of Oct 9 (a top-6 seed or a spot through the play-in), with a title chance of est. <1%. It's a projection from the data and it changes as the season goes.

When do the Cavaliers play next?

Cleveland Cavaliers at Philadelphia 76ers, Thu, Oct 22. Our pick posts before tip-off (preseason: picks start oct 20).

How accurate are niftiIQ's Cavaliers predictions?

Every pick is stored before tip-off and graded after the final, in public. Picks start Oct 20.

How this works

Team strength comes from each roster's lineup ratings; the rest of the schedule is simulated 5,000 times for the season chances. Game picks come from a model that retrains before every run, and every pick is stored before tip-off and graded after the final. How it works · All 30 teams · NBA FAQ