It’s the NBA matchup everyone has been looking forward to: The Cleveland Cavaliers, the NBA’s No. 1 team, host the Oklahoma City Thunder, the NBA’s No. 2 team. In their last outing, the Cavs showcased an “appropriate fear” while dismantling the Charlotte Hornets. The Thunder, meanwhile, stunned the Boston Celtics, further staking their claim as one of the NBA’s very best teams.
This will be the first of two matchups between Cleveland and Oklahoma City. Since the Cavs are in the Eastern Conference and the Thunder are in the Western Conference, these matchups are limited to two times a season. Thankfully, for basketball fans everywhere, these teams will lock horns again in less than ten days. However, facing a string of injuries that have affected their lineup, the Cavs must elevate their performance and play at their highest level to protect their home court against a determined Thunder team seeking to dethrone Cleveland as the NBA’s top dog.
Who is unavailable for the Thunder against Cleveland?
Against the Cavs, the Thunder will be without several players.
Branden Carlson (not with the team), Alex Caruso (hip), Ousmane Dieng (NBA G League assignment), Adam Flagler (NBA G League assignment), Chet Holmgren (hip), Dillon Jones (NBA G League assignment), Ajay Mitchell (toe), and Nikola Topic (knee) are all sidelined for Oklahoma City.
Otherwise, the Thunder will be rolling into Cleveland against the Cavs with all their stars available. Nevertheless, Oklahoma City has remained dominant, riding a 15-game winning streak. It’s the first time in NBA history that a team on a 15-game winning streak faces off against a team on a 10-game winning streak.
This matchup between the Cavs and Thunder is also the first inter-conference game in NBA history between teams with a winning percentage of .850 or higher this late into a season. Cleveland and Oklahoma City winning 30 of their first 35 games marks just the second time in NBA history that two teams have done so.
Who is unavailable for the Cavs against Oklahoma City?
The Cavs will be without Sam Merrill (ankle) against the Thunder. Cleveland will also be without Emoni Bates, JT Thor, and Luke Travers, all assigned to the NBA G League.
It’s not surprising that Bates, Thor, and Travers are unavailable. All three need on-court opportunities to develop, which they won’t get with Cleveland. Instead, the young trio will grind with the Cleveland Charge, the NBA G League affiliate of the Cavs. With the Charge, Bates, Thor, and Travers can get those on-court chances and, hopefully, can contribute to the leading club soon.
Not having Merrill stings, as he provides critical perimeter shooting off the bench. Merrill ranks as the second-leading three-point shooter off the bench for the Cavs. He has been successful on 32.8% of his attempts from beyond the arc, adding depth to the team’s offensive options.
However, Cleveland getting back Isaac Okoro does soften the blow, making losing out on Merrill a bit easier to swallow. Okoro’s return marks the end of an eight-game absence due to a nagging shoulder injury. The Cleveland forward averages 6.6 points, 2.3 rebounds, and 1.7 assists while shooting 49.5 percent from the floor and 49.2 percent from behind the arc.
For the first time this season, the Cavs are creeping closer to being totally healthy. This is something rare that Cleveland has never experienced this year. So, hopefully, Merrill is back sooner rather than later so the Cavs can enjoy perfect health and totally dominate their opponents.
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