The Cleveland Cavaliers are back home and ready to kick off a three-game homestand Wednesday night, starting with a matchup against a depleted Portland Trail Blazers squad. The good news for Cleveland fans? Darius Garland is officially back in the lineup.
After sitting out Monday’s win over the Pacers-part of a cautious approach to managing his workload on back-to-backs-Garland is cleared to go and will suit up at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. The Cavs gave him a night off in Indiana, but with a day of rest in between, he’s ready to lead the charge against a Trail Blazers team that's limping into this one.
Cleveland, however, won’t be at full strength either. The injury list remains lengthy, with five players unavailable for Wednesday’s game.
Jarrett Allen is still nursing a right third finger strain and remains out. Sam Merrill (right hand sprain), Larry Nance Jr. (right calf strain), and Chris Livingston (two-way designation) are also sidelined.
Max Strus continues his recovery from surgery on a Jones fracture in his left foot and remains out indefinitely.
Lonzo Ball is listed as probable despite dealing with an illness, and his availability could be a key factor in how the Cavs manage their backcourt minutes alongside Garland.
The Trail Blazers, meanwhile, are coming off a tough 121-118 loss to the Raptors on Tuesday night and are facing the second leg of a back-to-back-never an easy task, especially when the roster is this banged up. Portland lists Deni Avdija (left ankle sprain), Donovan Clingan (lower left leg contusion), and Kris Murray (left hip contusion) as questionable. On top of that, six players are already ruled out, including Jrue Holiday, Robert Williams III, Scoot Henderson, Matisse Thybulle, Blake Wesley, and Damian Lillard-all dealing with a variety of injuries that have left the Blazers scrambling for depth.
So what does this mean heading into tipoff? For the Cavaliers, Garland’s return adds a much-needed spark to the offense. His ability to control pace, create off the dribble, and knock down shots from all over the floor gives Cleveland a clear edge against a Portland team that’s short on perimeter defenders and likely running on tired legs.
But don’t expect the Cavs to take this one lightly. Even with Portland’s injury woes, this is still the NBA-where any team can catch fire on the right night. Cleveland will need to stay locked in, especially with so many rotation players still unavailable.
Bottom line: Garland’s back, the Cavs are home, and they’ve got a prime opportunity to start this homestand on a high note.