Cleveland Cavaliers Roster
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Cleveland Cavaliers center Jarrett Allen dominated the glass in Monday's Game 2 win against the Magic, becoming the third player in franchise history to record 20-plus rebounds in a playoff game. He joined Kevin Love (21) and Brad Daugherty (20), gobbling up nine rebounds on the offensive end alone. The great work on the glass helped Allen to ease to a second consecutive double-double in the series, as he posted 16 points on 6-for-10 shooting. It was a productive night all around for the 28-year-old, with Allen completing his line with three assists, two steals, and two blocks. Allen also had 18 rebounds in Game 1, and Orlando clearly has to do better on the glass to have a chance in the series, which continues on Thursday.
Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell put together a full line in Monday's 96-86 Game 2 victory over Orlando, leading all scorers with 23 points and collecting eight rebounds, four assists, one steal, and one block. It was a busy night for the Cavaliers superstar, although Mitchell struggled from downtown with a 2-for-10 effort. It dragged his overall shooting numbers down badly, as Mitchell finished 9-for-22 from the field. Mitchell's three-point shooting for the series now stands at 27.8 percent, but he's still enjoyed a good start to the playoffs, averaging 26.5 points, 5.0 rebounds, 3.5 assists, and 2.0 steals.
Cleveland Cavaliers guard Craig Porter Jr. (ankle) won't play in Saturday's postseason clash with the Magic. He tweaked his ankle during Cleveland's final game of the regular season. Unfortunately, it doesn't appear Porter will be back anytime soon, with head coach J.B. Bickerstaff reporting that the 24-year-old is currently on crutches. With that said, the Cavs will have Donovan Mitchell and Darius Garland handling things in the backcourt, so Porter wasn't figured to see much action anyway.
Cleveland Cavaliers forward Dean Wade (knee) has officially been ruled out for Game 1 of their series against the Orlando Magic. The 27-year-old has been an important bench piece for the Cavs throughout the season, but he hasn't appeared in a game since March 8 due to a right knee sprain. Unless others were out as well, he wasn't much of a DFS option. In this case, with Wade on the sidelines, Georges Niang and Marcus Morris Sr. will likely see increases in opportunities while Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen play big minutes as the starting frontcourt.
Cleveland Cavaliers shooting guard Sam Merrill (neck) was a full participant in Wednesday's practice as he continues to work his way back from injury. A neck problem kept him out for the final three regular-season games, but Merrill looks to be on track to return to the lineup for Game 1 of the playoffs against Orlando on Saturday. The 27-year-old averaged a career-high 8.0 points in 17.5 minutes during the regular season, shooting 40.4 percent from downtown. Merrill's shooting ability makes him a good option to have on the bench, but the rotations get tighter during the postseason, and he likely won't see a lot of time on the court.