Currently on a three-game winning streak, the Cleveland Cavaliers are heading to the City of Brotherly Love to face Joel Embiid and the Philadelphia 76ers. Typically, this game would be a massive deal for Cleveland considering the quality of their opponent and the fact that the game will be broadcast on TNT. But, considering that this is an In-Season Tournament game between the Cavs and Sixers, a battle for second place in Group A of the Eastern Conference is on the line.
For Philadelphia, the Sixers will be at nearly full strength with their three two-way players on assignment with the Delaware Bluecoats and Kelly Oubre Jr. the only noteworthy player sidelined. Oubre Jr. is slated to miss at least a couple of weeks after suffering a rib injury and undisclosed injuries to his hip and leg in an alleged hit-and-run incident.
Meanwhile, Cleveland's availability looks much grimmer heading into their tilt at Wells Fargo Center. Heading into the matchup, the Cavs will be without Donovan Mitchell (hamstring), Isaac Okoro (knee), Ty Jerome (ankle) and Ricky Rubio (personal). As always, the absence of Rubio and Mobley shouldn't come as a surprise. Cleveland is giving Rubio as much time as possible to prioritize and focus on his mental well-being.
Cavs conundrum
Mitchell being sidelined is a little frustrating for the Cavs, considering that it's the third consecutive game in which Mitchell has been out due to his hamstring. It's also the fourth game overall that Mitchell will miss due to this nagging issue, but Cleveland has no choice but to err on the side of caution due to how severe and uncertain the recovery process can be.
Sure, naysayers and cynics will say that Mitchell cheering his teammates on from the sideline and greeting celebrities at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse indicates he should be on the court. But there's a good chance those same critics have never suffered a strained hamstring and then tried to suit up to play 35 minutes of NBA-level basketball either. So, until there's an update, Mitchell will remain day-to-day as the trickiness of hamstring injuries never have a firm timeline for healing.
While there's no immediate threat of James Harden for the Cavs (or the Sixers, frankly) to deal with, there's still the problem of defending Tyrese Maxey. That job would normally go to Okoro, Cleveland's best overall point-of-attack defender who can wreak havoc on the perimeter. Okoro will now miss eight games in a row after posting five points and two assists in an early November loss to the Indiana Pacers. Cleveland head coach J.B. Bickerstaff shared the team has yet to place a concrete timetable on Okoro's recovery, but they're hoping he will return sooner rather than later.
The lack of Jerome isn't as serious considering the sudden emergence of two-way guard Craig Porter Jr. as the Cavs' backup point guard. But, considering that the Sixers are at nearly full strength, it could be a tough matchup for Cleveland in Philadelphia. If LeVert can go after missing the win over the Denver Nuggets, it certainly softens the blow. But, considering the Cavs were without LeVert and everyone else that's sidelined against the Sixers against the Nuggets and won, they could still have a real shot to #LetEmKnow and leapfrog Philadelphia for second place in Group A standings for the In-Season Tournament.
Follow Us
Subscribe