The Cavaliers are finally about to play someone else, and that alone gives tonight’s preseason opener a little extra juice. Cleveland meets the Celtics with a few fresh faces in the spotlight, and there are three things worth watching closely once the ball goes up at 7:00 PM ET.
First up is Peyton Watson, who arrives with real momentum after the best season of his career. He comes to Cleveland after averaging nearly 15 ppg and knocking down 40% of his threes in year four, a huge leap from the player who entered the league as someone who could barely score.
The Cavs are hoping that size and length show up right away on defense, but the bigger question is how his game translates from the Nuggets to his new team. The early minutes should tell us plenty about how involved he’ll be and how the guards and bigs will connect around him.
Then there’s Meleek Thomas, one of the two rookies on standard deals. The second-round pick out of Arkansas has the look of a steal, and he backed that up by scoring at will in Summer League after doing the same at Arkansas.
Now the challenge changes completely. Vegas was one thing.
NBA talent is another. What matters here is how comfortable he looks taking shots and playing aggressive against real competition.
The other rookie to watch is Khalifa Diop, a 2022 second-round pick who has finally made the move to the association after four seasons in the EuroLeague, most recently with Baskonia. At 6’11, he gives Cleveland size and length, and he’s coming off stretches where he averaged four points, four rebounds, and just under a block per game over the past couple of campaigns.
Minutes may be hard to come by with him likely sitting as the #3 center on the depth chart, or #4 if you count Evan Mobley, but this matchup offers a useful first look at how he handles NBA physicality. Boston’s center group includes Luka Garza, Mitchell Robinson, Amari Williams, and Neemias Queta, so the test is there.
Beyond the new faces, the larger preseason question is simple: how does this group actually look against competition? Cleveland can roll out Donovan Mitchell, Evan Mobley, and Jarrett Allen, with James Harden now extended for three years, and the talent on paper is obvious.
They’ve also got Peyton Watson’s size, plus Sam Merrill and Jaylon Tyson as potential high-leverage bench options. Mario Hezonja is back for his second NBA tenure and looked fantastic in the team’s intrasquad scrimmage at training camp.
That’s the easy part. The hard part is fitting it all together.
Joe Mazzulla put it well at Media Day, noting that every team feels good right now because nobody has had to go through the grind of the season yet. That’s the backdrop here for Cleveland too. The real test starts tonight, and for a team that has seen promising buildup turn into disappointment before, this preseason opener is as much about tone as it is about the scoreboard.
Cavaliers vs. Celtics tips off at 7:00 PM ET.
If you’re out of town, you can watch on YouTube TV, Fubo, or NBA League Pass. Otherwise, DAZN will be the place to go.
In Other News...
Cavaliers May Have Found The Wing Help This Roster Needed
The Cavaliers have added another name to the mix on the wing, signing Mario Hezonja to a one-year minimum deal as he looks to make his way back into the NBA after several seasons in Europe. It is a low-risk move, but one that fits neatly into a roster that has been searching for more size, energy and versatility on the perimeter.
Early exhibition play has already given Cleveland something to watch, with Hezonja showing a stronger frame and more burst than he had in his previous NBA run. If that carries over, he could push for a meaningful role and perhaps give the bench a different look than Dean Wade did as a reserve, which would be welcome depth for a team trying to fortify its wings before the season gets rolling. [Read more 🡒]
Donovan Mitchell Just Weighed In On James Hardens Cavs Debate
Donovan Mitchell has no interest in letting James Harden be reduced to a ringless talking point. In a recent take on Hardens place in the game, Mitchell argued that the veteran guard is judged too harshly because he has not won an NBA championship, even though his impact has been felt far beyond the trophy case. Mitchell pointed to Hardens influence, passion and work ethic from their time as teammates with the Cavaliers, adding another voice to a debate that tends to flatten a long, accomplished career.
For Cleveland, the bigger picture is that Hardens return comes at a moment when the conversation around him is still loaded with expectations. He recently agreed to a contract extension after being traded from the LA Clippers, keeping his next chapter tied to a team that now has both a high-profile veteran and a former teammate willing to defend his reputation. Whether the outside discourse changes is another matter, but inside the organization, Mitchell made it clear he sees far more in Harden than the missing championship line. [Read more 🡒]
Tyrese Proctor Just Made Clevelands Guard Battle A Lot More Real
Tyrese Proctor has made the kind of offseason progress that tends to change how a coaching staff views the back end of a rotation. After getting feedback from Cavaliers coach Kenny Atkinson, Proctor leaned into strength training and showed notable physical improvement, a step forward that fits the organizations emphasis on durability and defensive reliability. He has also taken advantage of the chance to learn from Donovan Mitchell and James Harden, which adds a little more intrigue to a camp competition that already had a few moving parts.
Now the guard battle is looking a lot more crowded, with Proctor pushing to join Craig Porter Jr. and Meleek Thomas in the mix for backup minutes. The Cavaliers still appear to be sorting through what they want most from that spot, especially on the defensive end, so there is no clean answer yet. But Proctors growth has made this more than a placeholder competition, and that is exactly the kind of development that can linger deep into the preseason. [Read more 🡒]