With all of their players healthy, the Cleveland Cavaliers are beginning to resemble the squad that placed fourth in the Eastern Conference the previous year.
The Cavs have triumphed in four of their previous five games; their lone setback was an unexpected loss to the Trail Blazers at home.
Other than that, Cleveland has defeated Toronto, Atlanta, and Orlando three times at home to raise its season total to 12-9.
The Miami Heat, who are likewise 12-9, will be the team the Cavaliers encounter tonight when they travel to South Florida.
The Heat have stepped on the hot foot after winning nine out of ten games to begin November, losing four of the previous six games.
Okay, so Miami just won 112-103 as 3.5-point underdogs over Toronto in their last game. The Heat have, however, missed the last two games due to injuries to Bam Adebayo’s hip. He is scheduled to miss another game tonight.
After Miami easily defeated Cleveland 129-96 at home just before Thanksgiving, Cleveland is looking for retribution.
The Cavs, who let the Heat win with 20 three-pointers, did not have Donovan Mitchell in the starting lineup that evening.
In a related development:
Report: Cavs receive inauspicious update on Evan Mobley ahead of matchup vs. Heat
When the Cleveland Cavaliers play the Miami Heat on Friday night, big man Evan Mobley might not be available.
Mobley was not present for the team’s shootaround since he is labelled as doubtful for Friday’s game because of knee pain.
Though the Cavs might be attempting to rest the rookie big man to see if he can give it a go during the game, that is concerning for Mobley’s status.
This season, Mobley has not missed a game for the Cavaliers. The 22-year-old, who shoots 57.3 percent from the floor, averages 16.0 points, 10.5 rebounds, 2.9 assists, and 1.7 blocks per game. He has been an important member of the team’s rotation.
The Cavaliers may look to Dean Wade, Georges Niang, and Tristan Thompson to step in for Mobley in the frontcourt if he is unable to play. The Cavaliers will need other players to step up in that area if Mobley is unable to play because he has been a monster on the glass this season, averaging a career-high amount of rebounds per game.
In the team’s victory over the Orlando Magic on Wednesday night, Mobley looked somewhat healthy as he contributed 16 points (eight of twelve from the field), five rebounds, two assists, one steal, and one block in his 37 minutes of action.
Despite having only a 12-9 record this season, Cleveland has won seven of its previous ten games. Against a Miami squad that advanced to the NBA Finals the previous year, the Cavs hope to maintain their impressive play.
Miami has already ruled out big man Bam Adebayo for the game due to a hip issue for the Heat. If Mobley is made to sit, that ought to make things simpler for Jarrett Allen and associates on the back end.
Allen has averaged 13.4 points, 8.3 rebounds, and 1.1 blocks per game this season. Due to an injury, he missed the first 16 games of the 2023–24 season, although he still participated in 16 of Cleveland’s 21 games.
If Mobley is not playing, Allen ought to have more of a role on both sides of the ball.
On Friday night in Miami, the Cavs and Heat are supposed to start off at 8 p.m. EST.
