The Cleveland Cavaliers head into their NBA Cup showdown with the Atlanta Hawks knowing what is at stake, but they may have to play with a heavily depleted roster. Four key rotation pieces are in danger of missing out and put doubt on the Cavaliers’ ability to come out on top.
Craig Porter Jr. (hamstring injury) and Dean Wade (knee injury) are questionable. Sam Merrill (hand injury) has already been ruled out, while Max Strus (foot injury) remains sidelined as he continues recovery. The Cavs could have Jarrett Allen (finger injury) back, who is listed as probable.
Allen is averaging 14.8 points and 7.6 rebounds, and Cleveland leans heavily on his interior defense and reliability at the rim. Merrill leaves behind a sizeable hole with his 13.9 points per game. Wade and Porter also provide valuable depth and ball handling that the Cavs would have wanted in a game where every possession matters.
Atlanta, on the other hand, has only one notable name on the injury report. Trae Young remains out with a knee injury, a loss the Hawks have been dealing with for weeks. Even without Young, the Hawks have managed to stay afloat. The Hawks are currently sitting sixth in the East with an 11-8 record.
They are coming off a 132-113 loss to the Wizards, a game where Kristaps Porzingis had 22 points, Zaccharie Risacher added 17 for the Hawks, while Onyeka Okongwu chipped in 20 in a strong effort off the bench.
The Cavaliers are also coming off a defeat, as they lost 110-99 to the Toronto Raptors. Donovan Mitchell was held to 18 points, while Evan Mobley added 14 points. They are currently fifth in the East with a 12-7 record, and the Cavaliers know this game carries bigger implications than just standings. This is their final NBA Cup group stage game, and they have a good chance to advance.
The Cavaliers have a 2-1 group record, and they have a plus-33 point differential, which gives them a chance at getting the wild card spot if they manage to beat the Hawks. But they would need other results to go in their favor. The simplest scenario is Milwaukee beating New York and Orlando beating Detroit. That combination locks Cleveland into the knockout stage.
If Detroit loses but New York beats Milwaukee, then Cleveland must win by at least 16 points to pass the Knicks by differential. And in the toughest scenario, if Detroit and New York both win, the Cavs need a 28-point swing compared to Orlando, which is unlikely but mathematically possible.
All of that makes the injuries even more problematic. Cleveland needs its scoring, defense, and depth intact, but instead, they are fighting uphill with a short rotation on a night where every possession matters. Atlanta cannot advance, but they can play spoiler. Cleveland cannot afford to treat this like anything other than a playoff game.
