Cleveland Cavaliers News

EASTERN CENTRAL

Evan Mobley • PF • Cavaliers

Evan Mobley Keeps Defensive Production Rolling Saturday

Cleveland Cavaliers forward/center Evan Mobley recorded 13 points, eight rebounds, four assists, and two blocks in Saturday's 116-109 Game 3 win over the Detroit Pistons. The fifth-year big man shot 4-for-6 from the field but went 0-for-2 from deep and just 5-for-10 at the line, keeping this from being a sharper fantasy line. Still, Mobley has now blocked at least two shots in three straight games and is averaging 12.0 points, 6.0 rebounds, 4.3 assists, 1.0 threes, 2.3 blocks, and 1.0 steals through the first three games of the series.

Yesterday

Donovan Mitchell • SG • Cavaliers

Donovan Mitchell Logs 35-Point Double-Double

Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell scored a game-high 35 points and grabbed 10 rebounds as the team defeated the Detroit Pistons 116-109 in Game 3 on Saturday. This was one of Mitchell's best postseason games of the year, as he added four assists in 38 minutes, going 13-for-24 from the field. He had a 2-for-8 record from deep and went 7-for-8 at the charity stripe. Mitchell is looking sharp, which is great news for the Cavaliers, who cut the series deficit to 2-1 on Saturday. The seven-time All-Star will have a chance to register his third consecutive 30-point outing in Monday's Game 4.

Yesterday

James Harden • SG • Cavaliers

James Harden Plays Late Hero Saturday

Cleveland Cavaliers guard James Harden scored seven points in the final 1:29 of action in Saturday's Game 3 against the Detroit Pistons, helping his team to a 116-109 win. The former MVP was quiet for most of the game but made up for it with key baskets down the stretch. He had 19 points overall, finishing 8-for-14 from the field, including 3-for-7 from behind the arc. Harden grabbed two rebounds, dished out seven assists, and picked up one steal. With this effort, he became only the fourth player in NBA playoff history to record at least 4,000 points, 1,000 rebounds, and 1,000 assists. Throughout the postseason, Harden's performance has been inconsistent, but he will now carry positive momentum into Monday's Game 4.

Yesterday

Sam Merrill • SG • Cavaliers

Sam Merrill Iffy for Game 3 on Saturday

Cleveland Cavaliers guard/forward Sam Merrill (hamstring) is considered questionable for Game 3 against the Detroit Pistons on Saturday. The 29-year-old three-point specialist sustained a left hamstring strain in Game 1 against Detroit and didn't suit up for Game 2. Jaylon Tyson and Dennis Schroder saw their minutes increase in Game 2 and will likely continue to lead the second unit alongside Max Strus if Merrill can't return on Saturday. That said, Cleveland's reserves struggled in Game 2, combining for only 17 points.

2 days ago

Jarrett Allen • C • Cavaliers

Jarrett Allen Provides Bright Spot in Cavs' Game 2 Loss to Pistons

Cleveland Cavaliers center Jarrett Allen recorded 22 points, seven rebounds, three assists, one steal, and one block in 31 minutes during Thursday's 107-97 Game 2 loss to the Detroit Pistons. The 28-year-old bounced back from a quiet Game 1, shooting 7-for-9 from the field and 8-for-10 at the foul line for one of his most efficient outings of this postseason. Donovan Mitchell led all scorers with 31 points, and the Cavs briefly took a fourth-quarter lead before the offense went cold from deep. James Harden again struggled, finishing with 10 points on 3-for-13 shooting and four turnovers, while the Cavs went 0-for-11 from three in the final frame. Cleveland heads home down 0-2 with Game 3 set for Saturday.

3 days ago

James Harden • SG • Cavaliers

James Harden Struggles in Game 2 Loss

Cleveland Cavaliers guard James Harden finished with 10 points, six rebounds, three assists, and one steal in 37 minutes during Thursday's Game 2 loss to Detroit. He shot just 3-for-13 from the field, missed all four three-point attempts, and committed four turnovers as Cleveland fell into a 2-0 series hole. Harden's low assist total also hurt his DFS value, especially with his scoring efficiency slipping. Donovan Mitchell and Jarrett Allen carried more of the offense, but Cleveland needs Harden to rediscover his rhythm in Game 3.

3 days ago

Donovan Mitchell • SG • Cavaliers

Donovan Mitchell Finishes Game 2 Loss with 31 Points

Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell recorded 31 points, six rebounds, three assists, and two steals across 37 minutes in Thursday's 107-97 Game 2 loss to the Detroit Pistons. The All-Star led all scorers and fueled a second-half rally that briefly gave Cleveland the lead in the fourth quarter, finishing 11-for-24 from the field, 2-for-9 from three, and 7-for-9 at the line. Yet his outside shot deserted him late, with three of his three-point misses coming in the fourth as the Cavs went 0-for-11 from deep in the final frame. Jarrett Allen added 22 points and seven rebounds, but James Harden managed just 10 points on 3-for-13 shooting with four turnovers. The Cavs return home down 0-2 for Game 3 on Saturday.

3 days ago

Sam Merrill • SG • Cavaliers

Sam Merrill Unavailable Thursday

Cleveland Cavaliers guard/forward Sam Merrill (hamstring) will miss Game 2 against the Detroit Pistons on Thursday. He suffered a left hamstring strain in the series opener and has been downgraded from questionable to out. Merrill's absence should give Jaylon Tyson and Dennis Schroder more opportunities to impact the game off the bench. However, they haven't been reliable DFS options in the postseason, and Tyson even had a scoreless outing in Game 1 despite logging 18 minutes of action.

3 days ago

Sam Merrill • SG • Cavaliers

Sam Merrill Listed as Questionable for Thursday

Cleveland Cavaliers guard/forward Sam Merrill (hamstring) is listed as questionable for Thursday's Game 2 against the Detroit Pistons. Due to a hamstring injury, Merrill played just seven minutes in the series opener on Tuesday. He underwent an MRI on Wednesday and didn't practice. It appears unlikely that Merrill will play, but the questionable tag leaves open the possibility he could be available. If not, Dennis Schroder and Jaylon Tyson may see larger roles off the bench. Merrill's absence will also likely increase the workload for some of the starters. He has played 18.5 minutes per game in the playoffs, averaging 6.6 points with a 37.9% success rate from beyond the arc.

4 days ago

James Harden • SG • Cavaliers

James Harden Finishes Game 1 Loss With 22 Points

Cleveland Cavaliers guard James Harden recorded 22 points, eight rebounds, seven assists, one steal, and one block in Tuesday's Game 1 loss to the Detroit Pistons. The former MVP came alive late in the game, scoring 13 points in the fourth quarter. His efforts helped Cleveland tie the game with five minutes to go, but Kenny Atkinson's team ran out of gas, losing 111-101. Although Harden produced a full line, he was once again careless with the ball, committing seven turnovers. His field-goal efficiency also left a lot to be desired, as Harden went 6-for-15 from the field, including 1-for-7 from three-point range. He was a perfect 9-for-9 at the free-throw line. Harden averages 5.4 turnovers per game this postseason and must improve his ball-handling to make himself more impactful on the offensive end.

5 days ago

Sam Merrill • SG • Cavaliers

Sam Merrill's Status Unclear for Game 2

Cleveland Cavaliers guard/forward Sam Merrill's (hamstring) status is in doubt for Game 2 against the Detroit Pistons. According to Danny Cunningham of Sports Radio 92.3 The Fan Cleveland, Cavaliers head coach Kenny Atkinson didn't have a postgame update on Merrill after he exited the second-round series opener with a hamstring injury on Tuesday night. Merrill didn't return after the first quarter, finishing with one assist in seven minutes. He didn't have a single shot attempt. In the playoffs, Merrill has averaged 6.6 points in 18.5 minutes per game. His role has decreased significantly compared to the regular season, but the team will miss Merrill's three-point ability if he has to drop out of the lineup.

5 days ago

Sam Merrill • SG • Cavaliers

Sam Merrill Heads to Locker Room in Game 1

Cleveland Cavaliers guard/forward Sam Merrill (hamstring) exited Tuesday's Game 1 against Detroit after the first quarter and is questionable to return. He logged nearly seven minutes before heading to the locker room with a member of the medical staff, finishing with one assist and one turnover. Merrill's fantasy impact is mostly tied to threes, so his absence would matter more for Cleveland's bench spacing than usage. Max Strus and Dennis Schroder could pick up extra minutes, while Donovan Mitchell and James Harden should continue driving the offense.

5 days ago

Donovan Mitchell • SG • Cavaliers

Donovan Mitchell Finishes with 22 Points in Deciding Game

Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell recorded 22 points, three rebounds, and one assist in 35 minutes during Sunday's Game 7 win over Toronto. He shot 9-for-20 from the field and 2-for-9 from deep, leaning heavily on scoring while contributing minimally in other areas. His assist and defensive numbers dipped throughout the series compared to his regular-season levels, signaling a more scoring-dependent role. Jarrett Allen controlled the paint, and James Harden handled more of the playmaking, leaving Mitchell to carry the scoring load heading into the Detroit series.

7 days ago

Jarrett Allen • C • Cavaliers

Jarrett Allen Leads Frontcourt Effort with 19 Rebounds

Cleveland Cavaliers center Jarrett Allen recorded 22 points, 19 rebounds, two assists, two steals, and three blocks in 33 minutes during Sunday's Game 7 win over Toronto. He shot 7-for-11 from the field and 8-for-14 from the line, controlling the paint on both ends while posting his best outing of the series. Allen's work on the glass and defense continues to hold Cleveland's frontcourt together. With Donovan Mitchell and James Harden creating on the perimeter, the Cavs will lean on Allen to match Detroit's physicality in the next round.

7 days ago

Evan Mobley • PF • Cavaliers

Evan Mobley Shines Despite Game 6 Overtime Loss

Cleveland Cavaliers forward/center Evan Mobley recorded 26 points, 14 rebounds, and three assists in 41 minutes during Friday's Game 6 overtime loss to Toronto. He shot an efficient 9-for-15 from the field and added three three-pointers, delivering his strongest outing of the series and his first double-double this round. Mobley has now scored at least 20 points in back-to-back games, trending up at the right time. Cleveland's Game 7 outlook will hinge on whether he can maintain this level of efficiency and two-way impact.

May 2

James Harden • SG • Cavaliers

James Harden Contributes in All Areas Wednesday

Cleveland Cavaliers guard James Harden posted 23 points, nine rebounds, five assists, two steals, and one block in Wednesday's 125-120 Game 5 victory over the Toronto Raptors. The former MVP made half of his eight three-point attempts and finished 7-for-13 overall from the field. On the downside, Harden was responsible for six of Cleveland's 14 turnovers, yet he was the team's only starter with a positive plus/minus, finishing with a plus-10 in 40 minutes. Harden has struggled to handle the ball throughout the series, recording 6.0 turnovers per game. However, he's done a great job overall, averaging 22.0 points, 4.4 rebounds, 6.2 assists, and 2.0 steals, while shooting close to 50 percent. He's gone 41.0 percent from deep on nearly eight attempts per game.

Apr 30

Dennis Schröder • PG • Cavaliers

Dennis Schroder Plays Key Role in Game 5 Win

Cleveland Cavaliers guard Dennis Schroder was the X-factor in Wednesday's 125-120 win over the Toronto Raptors, scoring 19 points and dishing out two assists in 21 minutes off the bench. Schroder played the entire fourth quarter and scored 11 points as Cleveland turned a 103-100 deficit into a Game 5 victory. The German veteran was 7-for-11 from the field, including 3-for-6 from behind the arc. So far, Schroder's role has been quite limited in the first-round series, but he showed on Wednesday that he is ready to step up if called upon. Prior to Wednesday night, the 2023 World Cup MVP had averaged only 4.0 points per game against Toronto.

Apr 30

Thomas Bryant • C • Cavaliers

Thomas Bryant Cleared for Game 3

Cleveland Cavaliers center Thomas Bryant (calf) is available for Thursday's Eastern Conference first-round Game 3 against Toronto after being upgraded earlier in the day. He has not played since early April, so his role remains uncertain and likely limited off the bench behind Jarrett Allen. Bryant's return is not expected to change Cleveland's rotation much, with Allen and Evan Mobley continuing to handle most frontcourt minutes. Bryant is not a DFS option due to workload concerns, while Mobley remains the stronger play given his consistent production.

Apr 23

Thomas Bryant • C • Cavaliers

Thomas Bryant Iffy for Game 3

Cleveland Cavaliers center Thomas Bryant (calf) is questionable for Thursday's Eastern Conference first-round Game 3 against Toronto after missing the last six games. If active, he is expected to handle a limited bench role behind Jarrett Allen. His return should have minimal impact on Cleveland's rotation, with Allen and Evan Mobley continuing to log steady minutes in the frontcourt. Bryant is not a DFS target due to his uncertain workload, while Mobley remains the stronger DFS option given his broader stat profile.

Apr 22

Donovan Mitchell • SG • Cavaliers

Donovan Mitchell Extends 30-Point Streak

Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell led all scorers with 30 points in Monday's 115-105 Game 2 victory over the Toronto Raptors. In 37 minutes, he also contributed seven rebounds, five assists, and one steal. It was a highly efficient performance from Mitchell, as he nailed four of his 10 three-point attempts and finished 13-for-23 overall from the field. Combined with the regular season, Mitchell has now scored 30-plus points in four consecutive appearances. The seven-time All-Star has always stood out in the playoffs, averaging the sixth-most points all-time (28.4), and he appears set for another prolific postseason campaign. Across the first two games against Toronto, Mitchell has tallied 31.0 points, 5.0 rebounds, 4.5 assists, and 1.5 steals, hitting 57.1 percent from deep.

Apr 21

Cleveland Cavaliers News

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