After dominating the first part of their schedule, the Cleveland Cavaliers will embark on one of their most difficult road trips when they play the Denver Nuggets on Friday night.
Cleveland, which has won five straight games, is on its longest road trip of the season during the Western Conference swing. The Cavaliers just defeated Utah in a close game without players Isaac Okoro (shoulder) and Dean Wade (knee).
Wade might return on Friday night, but Okoro’s right shoulder strain is likely to keep him out of action for a few weeks.
The Cavaliers occasionally used a smaller lineup against the Jazz on Monday without those two available, but forward Evan Mobley produced well, tallying 22
Mobley, who was selected third overall in the 2021 NBA Draft, is averaging a career-high 18.5 points and nine rebounds per game.
Guards Donovan Mitchell and Darius Garland, who have spearheaded the Cavaliers’ early success, have benefited greatly from his presence.
With Mobley providing another layer to a deep team, Mitchell (23.3 points) and Garland (20.4) top the club in scoring average, while centre Jarrett Allen averages a double-double (13 points, 10 rebounds).
Mitchell recently stated, “We’ve all said it, for us to be the team we want to be… Evan had to take that step,” “And the best part about it is Jarrett Allen is his biggest cheerleader.”
Denver is attempting to tie the score after losing 126-114 at Cleveland on December 5; Friday is the final of the two games between the teams.
In the defeat, Denver star Nikola Jokic recorded one of his 11 triple-doubles this season, which leads the NBA. His career total of 141 triple-doubles places him third all-time, behind Hall of Famer Oscar Robertson (181) and Nuggets teammate Russell Westbrook (200).
Aaron Gordon, a forward for the Nuggets, who have won five of their previous seven games, might not play against Cleveland after leaving Wednesday night’s 110-100 loss to Phoenix due to a strained right calf.
Earlier in the season, Gordon missed ten games due to the same issue.
“We’ll have to wait and see these next 24 48 hours, but hopefully Aaron will be ready to go for Cleveland,” Denver coach Michael Malone stated.
Gordon is the team’s most versatile defender, capable of guarding every position, and he ranks fifth in scoring with 13.7 points per game. Peyton Watson, the team’s top shot blocker (0.9 per game), would probably start if Gordon is unable to go.
Jokic is having another MVP-caliber season and leads Denver in scoring (30.7 points), rebounds (12.6), and assists (9.4). Despite struggling with ailments, Jamal Murray leads the team in scoring at 18.8 points per game, but the Nuggets will need his output.
Murray sat out Monday’s win over Phoenix with a right ankle sprain and had only 13 points in his return Wednesday.
“I’m just trying not to use (injuries) as an excuse. Not mention it,” Murray told The Denver Post. “I know I get slack for it, but (I’m) just going out there, and if I’m good enough to play, I play. That’s how I look at it.”
Leave a Reply