The Cavaliers may have to navigate tonight’s matchup in Atlanta with a thinner rotation than they’d like.
As of this afternoon, Jaylon Tyson and Meleek Thomas have both landed on the injury report and are listed as questionable for the game against the Hawks. Tyson is dealing with a cervical strain, while Thomas is working through right foot soreness.
That matters because both players have already carved out real roles early in the season. Tyson has been a useful connector for the second unit, taking what the defense gives him instead of hunting shots.
He’s also given Cleveland some lineup flexibility by handling minutes at both small forward and power forward. If he can’t go, Mario Hezonja and Tyrese Proctor are the most obvious candidates to absorb some of those minutes.
Thomas has made an even quicker impression. Kenny Atkinson has already said he’ll play a “larger role” moving forward, and the rookie backed that up by going head-to-head with #1 pick AJ Dybantsa last night while logging 20 minutes.
Jarrett Allen praised the energy Thomas brought to the floor, saying, “Just when Meleek came in -- he brought the energy again.” On why that has shown up so fast, Allen added, “He wants it.
He wants to win. He wants to come out here and make an impact to win games.”
If Thomas sits, Cleveland would be looking for more help from its bench scoring group, though that’s been a mixed bag so far. Proctor and Craig Porter Jr. have both had limited production in the season’s first couple of games. Sam Merrill could also see extra run, and Porter Jr. may get another chance to make an impact.
The Cavaliers are already without Nae’Qwan Tomlin and Khalifa Diop, so any additional absence would force more shuffling. Still, the team’s biggest comfort is that its starters are expected to be available, with all five projected to play.
Jarrett Allen, meanwhile, has already shown how quickly things can change with an injury designation. He was listed as questionable on opening night and has played in every game since.
For Cleveland, the priority at 8:00 PM ET is simple: be ready for either version of the rotation and try to keep the winning streak alive. The Cavs are going for their fourth straight victory.
In Other News...
Hawks Frontcourt Issues Are Putting Real Pressure On Quin Snyder
The Hawks have kept things tight through their first five games, leaning on a strict nine-player rotation while the frontcourt has begun to look a little vulnerable. Rebounding and interior defense have been recurring issues in recent games, and that has pushed some attention toward Asa Newell and Zuby Ejiofor, two young bigs whose presence could give Quin Snyder another way to address the physical problems inside.
Newell and Ejiofor have barely seen the floor so far, with their only action coming in a lopsided win over Charlotte, but both were first-round picks for a reason. Newell brings the more polished offensive game, while Ejiofor is viewed as the stronger defender, which gives Atlanta a couple of different options if Snyder decides the rotation needs to grow. [Read more 🡒]
CJ McCollum May Be Shaping A Hawks Backcourt Change Already
Kingston Flemings made a strong case for a larger role in Atlantas home loss to Miami, turning a bench opportunity into the kind of performance that tends to linger with a coaching staff. The young guard put up a career-high 23 points in 28 minutes, giving the Hawks a jolt while working alongside a backcourt that has been shifting in real time.
CJ McCollums presence still looms over that conversation, even with the veteran not on the floor to finish the game as the staff went with the hotter hand. Flemings was quick to point to McCollums guidance and the way the veteran has helped him grow, which adds another layer to a situation that already feels like it could influence Atlantas backcourt mix before long. [Read more 🡒]
Hawks Need Their Offense To Bail Out A Troubling Early Problem
The Hawks return home trying to snap a three-game losing streak after back-to-back losses to Houston and Miami, a stretch that has put an early spotlight on the other end of the floor. Atlantas offense has been good enough to keep them in games, but the defensive issues from the first five contests have left little margin for error, especially against a Cleveland team that brings plenty of shot-making to the table on the second stop of its road swing.
Jalen Johnson and Nickeil Alexander-Walker have been part of the steady offensive pressure Atlanta needs, and Aaron Wiggins has given them another useful scoring option since arriving from Oklahoma City. Still, the bigger question is whether the Hawks can tighten up enough to make that scoring matter, because Cleveland is set to lean on Donovan Mitchell, James Harden and Peyton Watson in a matchup that could quickly turn into a test of which team can withstand the most defensive strain. [Read more 🡒]