Cavs eliminated from playoff contention, guarantees fresh Finals matchup

The LeBron James-less Cleveland Cavaliers were officially eliminated from postseason contention Friday night following a 126-110 road loss to the Miami Heat at AmericanAirlines Arena.

While Cleveland was essentially written off as a contender the moment James elected to sign with the Los Angeles Lakers this past summer, Friday's defeat guarantees an NBA Finals matchup this June that doesn't feature the Cavaliers and the Golden State Warriors battling it out.

The two franchises had advanced to the Finals each of the last four years, which had previously never been done more than two straight seasons. They also became the fourth and fifth teams to reach the Finals at least four years in a row, joining the Boston Celtics (1957-66, 1984-87), Lakers (1982-85), and Heat (2011-14).

Major League Baseball, the National Hockey League, and the National Football League have never had the same two teams battling for a championship for four consecutive years.

The Cavaliers now sit at 16-50 on the season with three losses in their last four outings. They'll host the visiting Toronto Raptors at Quicken Loans Arena on Monday.