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Riding high after knocking off the Boston Celtics at home, the still injury-riddled Cleveland Cavaliers hope to maintain momentum when they host Bilal Coulibaly and the Washington Wizards. As mentioned before, last time out, the Cavs defeated the Celtics 115-111. The Wizards, meanwhile, are on a fourteen-game losing streak, with Washington's last win coming against the Atlanta Hawks over a month ago.
This will be the second of three meetings between the Cavs and Wizards this year. Both sides first met in Washington, with the Cavs winning 135-116. Cleveland was led by Donovan Mitchell and Darius Garland, who both went bombs away from the perimeter against Washington.
This matchup between the Cavs and Wizards will carry the most weight. It is either side's final Group Stage game during the NBA Cup action. While Cleveland and Washington have been eliminated from reaching Las Vegas for the tournament portion of the NBA Cup, standings and point differentials still need to be finalized.
If the Cavs lose to the Wizards, it could dramatically shake up the NBA Cup standings. Moreover, Washington is on a significant losing skid, and Cleveland doesn't want to be the victim of it coming to an end. Unfortunately, both teams are dealing with numerous injuries heading into this matchup, making this a grind for either side.
Who is unavailable for the Wizards against Cleveland?
Against the Cavs, Washington will be without Saddiq Bey (ACL), Kyle Kuzma (ribs), and Tristan Vukcevic (knee).
Bey, 25, tore his ACL in March, leaving his return timetable in doubt. However, teammate Malcolm Brogdon shared with reporters that Bey is healing quickly.
“We definitely built a bond, a strong rapport,” Brogdon said. “He's working, man. He's actually progressing fast, so we're going to have to slow him down because he's doing really well.”
If an ACL tear takes 9-12 months to heal, his earliest possible return would likely be in mid-December.
Kuzma, meanwhile, has been sidelined since suffering a rib injury against the Los Angeles Clippers. Wizards head coach Brian Keefe said Kuzma was expected to miss this game against the Cavs.
The same goes for Vukcevic. The Serbian forward has yet to make his season debut and has no return timeline. Barring a return to practice, the Vukcevic can be considered doubtful for future contests.
Who is unavailable for the Cavs against Washington?
Like the Wizards, the Cavs will be without several key contributors. Max Strus (ankle) remains sidelined. Cleveland's matchup with Washington will be the 22nd straight regular-season game without Strus. The Cavs sharpshooter sprained his right ankle during individual workouts.
After confirming the sprain's severity, it was announced that Strus would be reevaluated after six weeks of treatment and rehabilitation. An update on the next steps in Strus's recovery should be forthcoming soon. However, head coach Kenny Atkinson has said that Strus is far from returning to the floor. So, for now, assume that Strus will remain sidelined for the better part of December.
Dean Wade could return from injury for the Cavs against Washington
A possible bright light for the Cavs is that sharpshooting big man Dean Wade (ankle) is listed as questionable and could return against the Wizards.
Cleveland has greatly missed Wade’s two-way versatility. Standing 6'9″, he has the size and athleticism to guard multiple positions. His strong perimeter defense and three-point shooting make him an effective floor spacer.
Wade wanted to play in Cleveland's recent game against Boston and worked to show he was ready to return. However, clearance from the Cavs' medical staff is still required, and his return will depend on how he and his ankle feel.
Joining Wade is backup guard Ty Jerome (illness), who is questionable and will likely be a game-time decision. If Jerome sits out against Washington, super sixth man Caris LeVert could see some more minutes with the second unit for Cleveland.
