The Cleveland Cavaliers have been without two of their best defensive players for the past few games.
Unfortunately, that won’t change on Wednesday night.
Spencer Davies of Sports Illustrated reported that Evan Mobley and Isaac Okoro will remain out vs. the Houston Rockets.
Evan Mobley (right calf) and Isaac Okoro (right shoulder) remain out for the #Cavs vs. the Rockets on Wednesday night.
Caris LeVert (right wrist soreness) is listed as questionable.
— Spencer Davies (@SpinDavies) January 21, 2025
While Okoro continues to nurse a shoulder ailment, Mobley will miss another game with a calf injury.
In addition, Caris LeVert has a wrist injury, so he’s currently being listed as questionable.
The Cavs will need a team effort to make up for their absences on defense, especially considering the Rockets’ impressive athleticism.
Jarrett Allen will have his hands full with Alperen Sengun, who’s a scoring threat and an outstanding passer at the position.
Dillon Brooks will look to take a page from Lu Dort’s book to mess with Donovan Mitchell’s rhythm with some physicality, and Ime Udoka’s team surely knows how to play some hard-nosed, old-school defense.
Fortunately, the Cavs also have more than enough resources to be a crafty team and pull off a win even when one of their top players isn’t available.
Dean Wade, Max Strus, and Georges Niang allow the team to go small with their three-point shooting.
While it won’t be easy, the Rockets’ subpar shooting allows them to go long stretches without making shots.
If Kenny Atkinson’s team pushes the break and makes this a bit of a shootout, they should be in a position to get the win.
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