The Cleveland Cavaliers will begin their preseason schedule with a matchup against the Atlanta Hawks at 7:30 p.m. EDT on Tuesday at State Farm Arena.
Cleveland went 1-3 during its 2022-23 preseason campaign, taking a win over the Hawks at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse while falling in two losses to the Philadelphia 76ers and one to the Orlando Magic. Cavs guards Donovan Mitchell and Darius Garland scored a combined 47 points in Cleveland's 105-99 win over Atlanta. Forward Mamadi Diakite ended the game with a 13-point, 11-rebound double-double off the bench. Four Hawks starters and forward A.J. Griffin scored in double digits for Atlanta win the Cavs home win.
Cleveland will be facing the Hawks, Magic, Maccabi Ra'anana of the Israeli National League and Indiana Pacers during their 2023-24 preseason schedule. The Memphis Grizzlies defeated the Pacers during a Sunday game at FedExForum. Indiana forward Jarace Walker recorded 19 points, nine rebounds, four assists, two steals and one block. Guard Bennedict Mathurin, the No. 6 selection in the 2022 NBA Draft, finished with 18 points as he hit seven of his 13 shot attempts.
Cleveland head coach J.B. Bickerstaff went over how the Cavs would be handling their rotations throughout the preseason during a post-practice media availability last Friday.
“We're going to try and get as many reps as we can,” Bickerstaff said, via a Friday video from the Cavaliers. “We will be strategic. We've got 20 guys, so we want to get everybody an opportunity to play.
“We'll do a ramp-up. It'll start with lower minutes and build ourselves up to higher minutes in our last preseason game. That can always change depending on circumstances, but our plan is to ramp through the preseason so by that last game leading into our first real game, guys feel comfortable in the reps and minutes that they'll be getting.”
Which Cavs players will have the most to prove to solidify their spot on Cleveland's rotation during the 2023-24 NBA season?
Damian Jones
Have the Cavs created a solid foundation at the four and the five behind center Jarrett Allen and forward Evan Mobley?
Cleveland added centers Damian Jones and Tristan Thompson, along with forward Georges Niang, during the 2023 offseason. Forward Dean Wade, who played in 44 games and started in 13 for the Cavaliers last year, will be under contract for Cleveland during the 2023-24 season, according to sports salaries and contracts website Spotrac. Jones, a two-time NBA Champion and seven-year NBA veteran, finished with four rebounds and two blocks in 21 minutes of play during the Los Angeles Lakers' first game of the 2022-23 preseason.
Jones earned high praise from Bickerstaff during last Friday's practice availability.
“He's been really good,” Bickerstaff said, via Friday's video from the Cavs. “I think there is a skillset there that has gone a little bit unnoticed from just watching him, what he's been allowed to do.
“He's a really good passer. You give him a ball at the elbow and he can make the passes to the cutters. Obviously, he's really good in pick and roll. He's got a ton of vertical spacing. He picks up things quickly. He's watching our defensive system. He protects the rim well. So he's been a pleasant surprise, for sure.”
Jones may have an important role to play during the preseason after Allen suffered a left-ankle bone bruise in practice, the team announced in a Saturday tweet. The former Brooklyn Nets center nearly averaged a double-double for the Cavaliers during last year's regular season and earned an All-Star selection one year before. Jones played in 41 games and started in one during his time with the Lakers and Utah Jazz last season.
Jones went over how the Cavs offense catered to his skillset following a Saturday practice.
“We run a lot of pick and rolls,” Damian Jones said, via a Saturday video from the Cavs. “It also gives opportunity for spacing. I just operate in those in-between spaces. Playing out of the pocket, playing out of the dunker, high post. I feel like those are some strong suits of mine, so, that's good.”
Damian Jones and guard Ty Jerome will have plenty to prove before the Cavs take to the Barclays Center to face the Nets at the start of the regular season. Cleveland must carve out a consistent rotation, especially at the four and the five, before it faces some of its tougher Eastern Conference opponents. If Jones can show he can play at a high level for the Cavs during the preseason, he may be able to solidify his spot in Cleveland's rotation before the start of the 2023-24 season.
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