Part of it has been injuries/COVID-19-related absences for opponents, but the Cleveland Cavaliers have had a good month of December, and even after such a difficult gauntlet early on, have found their way to a 20-14 record.
Unfortunately for the Cavaliers, after it was determined that Collin Sexton would be out for the season as of early November, Cleveland suffered another huge blow, with Ricky Rubio being out for the season as of Wednesday.
Rubio, who was filling in at the starting 1 for Darius Garland, who entered COVID-19 health and safety protocols on Tuesday, suffered a torn ACL in the same left knee he did that in back in 2012 on Tuesday in Cleveland’s loss at the New Orleans Pelicans.
For the short term, the Cavs will be without Garland too, and looking past that, the loss of Rubio is substantial, as he was a heck of a supersub-type presence and leader for this team.
The Cavaliers will have to find a way to patch things together in the mean time here, though, with their next game on Thursday at the Washington Wizards, who kick off a four-game homestand after largely a bunch of road games. In that game, Bradley Beal, who has been in health and safety protocols and is questionable, might be a bit off if he’s in there; Washington has its share of contributors, still.
So, what do you have to know about this Cavs-Wizards matchup, and how to bet?
Heading into this one, with both Darius Garland and now Ricky Rubio out, it’s tough to foresee Cleveland in its first game sans those two, having enough offense here. I can’t say the Wizards aren’t without their share of contributors either, as Bradley Beal has been in COVID-19 health and safety protocols, as we noted, and it’s not totally certain if he’s in, as of right now. Montrezl Harrell is in protocols, along with Rui Hachimura, who is yet to play this season.
Overall, while the Cavs have been playing well, Rubio had plenty to do with that, and Garland of course; I’m not sure if Cleveland has enough offense to hang around for four quarters, let alone win here. That’s no matter how they defend, really.
This is hardly the same situation as to the first matchup between these two, a comeback Washington win down the stretch in Cleveland, thanks largely to Kyle Kuzma, and especially not in the second meeting, a Cavs blowout in D.C.
Cavaliers-Wizards: Odds, spread and over/under
Currently, according to our partners at WynnBet, the Wizards are favored here by 3.5 points, and the over/under total is 210 for both clubs in this one. For Washington, it’s set for them at 107, and for Cleveland, it’s set for them at 103.5.
From a Cavs’ standpoint, that over/under likely reflects both Garland and Rubio being out here, and for now, without a point guard capable of really being a driving presence, it’s understandable. Jarrett Allen is doubtful as well, for context.
Cavs-Wizards: Projected starting lineups, injury report
Wizards starters: Spencer Dinwiddie, Corey Kispert, Deni Avdija, Kyle Kuzma, Daniel Gafford
Cavs starters: Denzel Valentine/Kevin Pangos, Isaac Okoro, Dean Wade, Lauri Markkanen, Evan Mobley
Wizards’ key injuries: Montrezl Harrell, Rui Hachimura, Thomas Bryant, Aaron Holiday and Raul Neto (out, health and safety protocols); Bradley Beal, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, and Anthony Gill (questionable, health and safety protocols).
Cavs’ key injuries: Darius Garland, Cedi Osman and Ed Davis (out, health and safety protocols); Jarrett Allen (doubtful, health and safety protocols); Lamar Stevens (questionable, health and safety protocols, conditioning); Dylan Windler (questionable, conditioning); Collin Sexton (out for season, knee) and Ricky Rubio (out for season, knee).
Cavs-Wizards: Prediction
The Cavaliers have proven that throughout this season, even despite adversity, that they’ll nearly always be competitive and right in the thick of things in games. That’s regardless of them at times being outmanned, it seems, and in his second game back after missing four games because of protocols, I’d expect Evan Mobley to have a productive follow-up offensively to his good past outing.
On both ends, though, it’s tough to foresee Cleveland being able to have near the production of Dinwiddie, a guy that is going to be a rough matchup potentially with Isaac Okoro still maybe not all the way back.
And with him feasibly having to help at the rim so often, along with Lauri Markkanen, I could imagine the Wizards could have a bunch of offensive rebounding/lob output from Gafford. Even Harrell not in here, being without Allen puts the Cavs in a bind, and if Beal or Caldwell-Pope are active, them, along with Kuzma, are knockdown threats.
It doesn’t seem as if Stevens will be nearly himself yet, even if he is active here, which would make this tougher for containing drivers.
On the offensive end, to reiterate, however, with the playmaking concerns initially I have here in this one without Garland and Rubio, and that being the first outing for Cleveland with that, even with the stretch bigs and Mobley involved, the Cavs will have trouble offensively. The Cavs, who are 26-7 against the spread this season, don’t cover here.
Maybe a 10-day hardship exception signing that possibly ends up being a longer commitment for the season to Kris Dunn, perhaps, comes about, or to Jeff Teague, in days to come.
Prediction: Wizards 106, Cavs 98
The Bet: Wizards (-3.5), UNDER
Cavs-Wizards: Where to watch
This final Cavs-Wizards matchup of the season can be viewed on regional networks in respective markets for Cavs and Wizards fans on Bally Sports Ohio and NBC Sports Washington.
For fans in other markets looking to tune in, or not with those subscriptions in their markets, this one can be streamed via NBA League Pass for those subscribed.
Cavaliers upcoming schedule:
After this Wizards matchup, the Cavaliers will have the second leg of this most recent back-to-back against the Atlanta Hawks, yet another club that’s been dealing with COVID-19 issues. This would have been the third and final matchup between these clubs of the season, but their second meeting was postponed, due to COVID-19 problems within the Cavs.
From there, the Cavaliers will have their first matchup of the season versus a Central Division rival in the Indiana Pacers on Sunday as the calendar flips to 2022 in Cleveland. On Tuesday, Cleveland will take on the Memphis Grizzlies at home. The Grizz took that one in Memphis in the 2021-22 season opener for both clubs, and hopefully, guys such as Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen can be back.