The Cleveland Cavaliers have a long injury report for their game against the Toronto Raptors. They’ll need a full team effort to win this one.
Darius Garland is out as he will be managing his toe injury on the second night of a back-to-back. Garland has played just five games this season and recently returned from a toe contusion. He will likely be working around this injury for the foreseeable future.
De’Andre Hunter will also be on the sideline as a result of Cleveland’s back-to-back. The Cavs played
last night at home versus the LA Clippers before flying to Toronto for their third game against the Raptors this season. Hunter is out tonight for rest.
Kenny Atkinson has been open about his process. The Cavs are interested in surviving the regular season and staying healthy into the playoffs. That means protecting his players by strategically resting them throughout the year. As soft-tissue injuries pile up across the league, who can blame him?
Craig Porter Jr. is out with a hamstring injury. Sam Merrill is sidelined with a wrist sprain. Dean Wade is questionable due to a knee hyperextension. Jarrett Allen will miss his third straight game with another finger injury — this one different from the finger he injured earlier in the season.
That’s not all.
Max Strus, of course, is still out with a foot injury. There is no clear timetable for his return.
That puts six players out of commission for tonight’s game, with a seventh (Wade) potentially joining them. That’s almost a full playoff rotation on the bench.
So, who is even playing?
Donovan Mitchell, who scored 37 points on 22 shots last night, will be available. He’ll be flanked by Evan Mobley, who has been turning his season around behind an efficient stretch of basketball. Those two should give Cleveland a fighter’s chance at winning.
Jaylon Tyson is also back in the lineup. He returned two games ago after recovering from a concussion. Lonzo Ball will play as well, as he rested in Cleveland’s first game of this back-to-back.
Rookie Tyrese Proctor is the only other guard who will suit up for the Cavs tonight.
Other players such as Nae’Qwan Tomlin, Thomas Bryant, Luke Travers and Larry Nance Jr. will have to step up tonight if the Cavs want any chance of pulling off a stunner in Toronto. Don’t count them out; they managed to complete a similar upset in Miami earlier this month.
