5 Cavs games that jump out in first half of 2022-23 season

3 of 6

Jarrett Allen, Cleveland Cavaliers. (Photo by David Richard-USA TODAY Sports) /

5 key Cavs games in 2022-23 first half – No. 2: Nov. 13 versus the Minnesota Timberwolves

Secondly, Cleveland squaring off with the Minnesota Timberwolves on Sunday, Nov. 13 at 6 PM is a game that I’m definitely circling.

Minnesota was a play-in team like the Cavs last season, but got in the postseason ultimately after winning their No. 7-8 game versus the LA Clippers. The Twolves didn’t eventually win their first round series against the Memphis Grizzlies, but Minnesota had an encouraging series, taking two of those games, and that easily could’ve gone seven games.

It’ll be entertaining to see how the Cavaliers fare with the new-look Timberwolves here, though. Minnesota took a swing and gave up quite the haul to land Rudy Gobert in a trade with the Utah Jazz, and is banking on a frontcourt of Karl-Anthony Towns and Gobert panning out to make deep runs in the West.

Who looks better here, them or the Mobley-Allen frontcourt? The defensive impact of both groups could largely determine the outcome in this one, as Garland and Anthony Edwards will probably both have their share of production for both backcourts.

As far as some other aspects to this one, while Minnesota was a team that wanted to get out and run last season, does that Towns-Gobert pairing slow things down? That could be a storyline to watch if they maybe change things a bit, but regardless, perhaps the Cavs look to push at times here to not have to contend with Minnesota’s bigs as much?

Either way, do players such as Collin Sexton, Caris LeVert and/or Isaac Okoro give Cleveland punch in this matchup, to help the Cavs outduel Edwards, D’Angelo Russell and company? In a game that’s likely going to have ups and downs for both teams, it could come down to which club has one more run in the closing stretch from perimeter shot-making, combined with meaningful ball movement in other sequences.

To me, with two clubs that look to keep their positive momentum from last season going, this might be an early game flying under-the-radar.