The Cleveland Cavaliers will look to get their first NBA Cup win of the season as they take on the struggling Washington Wizards.
Who: Cleveland Cavaliers (5-3) vs Washington Wizards (1-7)
Where: Capital
One Arena – Washington, D.C.
When: Friday, Nov. 7 at 7:00pm EST
TV: FanDuel Sports Network Ohio, FanDuel Sports Network App, NBA League Pass
Point spread: Cavs -14
Cavs Injury Report: Dean Wade – OUT (eye contusion), Lonzo Ball – OUT (injury management), De’Andre Hunter – PROBABLE (illness), Max Strus – OUT (foot), Chris Livingston – OUT (G League)
Wizards Injury Report: Bilal Coulibaly – OUT (lower leg tightness), Kyshawn George – QUESTIONABLE (illness)
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What to watch for
The Cavs have yet to advance past the group stage of the NBA Cup. If they want any chance of ending that streak, they’ll need to go perfect in the following three games. More than that, they likely need to demolish each opponent to ensure they have the highest point differential.
Offensive rhythym
Darius Garland made his season debut on Wednesday against the Philadelphia 76ers. It’s no coincidence that his return aligned with the Cavaliers’ best offensive outing of the year so far. The ball was moving freely and the team finished with a season-high 33 assists.
The Cavs will look to replicate this success in Washington. They haven’t had an easy time establishing themselves on either end of the floor to start the season — but tapping into their offensive identity should be easier now that Garland is back. His return allows everyone else to fall back into their natural role.
Evan Mobley
Which version of Evan Mobley do we get tonight? This has become something to watch for on a nightly basis.
The Cavs have challenged Mobley to be more aggressive on offense. That has come with some growing pains. Sometimes he looks dominant, scoring from all areas of the floor. Other times, his approach feels forced and awkward.
As previously mentioned, Garland’s return helps with this. Mobley wasn’t as pressed to create for himself versus Philly. Garland can feed him easy scoring opportunities that build his confidence and alleviate the need for Mobley to score in isolation.
This season is all about finding the right balance. The Cavs aren’t necessarily banking on Mobley to become a Giannis Antetokounmpo-type of threat. But they still hope he can blossom into more than just a play-finisher at the rim. Tonight is another chance for Mobley to step in the right direction.
