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Even though they're both a handful of games removed from returning to the court, Darius Garland and Evan Mobley are available for the Cleveland Cavaliers against the Brooklyn Nets. For Mobley, who rested on the second game of Cleveland's recent back-to-back against the Memphis Grizzlies, it's a welcome sign in his recovery after undergoing arthroscopic knee surgery.
Meanwhile, it's another opportunity for Garland to find his rhythm with the Cavs' new offensive approach, even with the young guard joining Mobley in a minute restriction.
In the eyes of Cleveland President of Basketball Operations Koby Altman, the roadblocks holding Garland and Mobley back during their recovery should end soon. During media availability, Altman shared that getting Garland and Mobley acclimated and comfortable is one of the team's highest priorities as the season advances.
Altman expressed that once the team starts the second half of the regular season after the NBA All-Star break, hopefully, Garland and Mobley will be 100% healthy and available every night, with no possibilities of rest or restrictions controlling their production.
Cavs getting healthier
Against a Nets squad that just shipped out Spencer Dinwiddie and Royce O'Neale in a flurry of trade deadline moves it'll be a great opportunity to keep Garland and Mobley rolling.
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Against Cleveland, Brooklyn will be without Dorian Finney-Smith (ankle), Cam Johnson (abductor), Keon Johnson (G League assignment), Day'Ron Sharpe (knee), Lonnie Walker IV (hamstring) and Dariq Whitehead (shin). Newly acquired Keita Bates-Diop, Jordan Goodwin, Thaddeus Young, and Dennis Schroder will also be unavailable for the Nets, while Harry Giles III was released to make room for the new faces.
Meanwhile, the Cavs will be without Ty Jerome (ankle), Emoni Bates (G League assignment), Isaiah Mobley (G League assignment), and Tristan Thompson (suspension). If Jerome were available, Cleveland would have a clean bill of health. But that might never be the case this season, considering Jerome hasn't played since Cleveland's home-opening loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder due to a high ankle sprain and recently had surgery on the same nagging ankle.
Thompson, meanwhile, is only eight games into his 25-game suspension, Thursday's tilt with Washington being his ninth. So while Thompson won't be available until mid-March and Bates and Mobley will fluctuate between the Cavs and the Cleveland Charge, the team's NBA G League affiliate, their status doesn't impact things for Cleveland. None of these players, Jerome included, are in the normal rotation when the Cavs are completely healthy.
Either way, this matchup with the Nets will be another opportunity for Mobley and Garland to continue stringing things together, especially with Brooklyn playing with a defense allowing 116.2 points per 100 possessions. While the Nets will try their best, especially with star forward Mikal Bridges available, they're still heading toward becoming a mid-tier team.
Cleveland still can't tread lightly and let their seven-game winning streak come to an end in a possible upset. Again, look for the Cavs to find ways to get Mobley and Garland more involved and for Donovan Mitchell, Jarrett Allen, Max Strus, Caris LeVert and Isaac Okoro to keep things steady and Washington at an arm's length away.
It should be an easy win for the Cavs and a great way to kick off a back-to-back matchup before traveling north of the border to face the Toronto Raptors over the weekend.
