Cleveland

Cavaliers

Allen has missed five straight and eight of Cleveland’s last nine games, but his participation in practice suggests he’s got a chance to take the court for Cleveland’s next game. The Cavs don’t play again until Friday, which gives Allen plenty of time to recover. If Allen is cleared to play, he could reclaim his starting spot from Jaylon Tyson. Sam Merrill (hand) hasn’t played since November 17, and he did not participate in practice.

The Cavaliers got off to an ice-cold start on the second night of a back-to-back, scoring a season-low 36 points in the first half. Mitchell came alive after the break, burying seven three-pointers and dropping 21 points in the second half as Cleveland roared back to make this one close. He had an opportunity to knock down a game-tying three-pointer in the final seconds but came up empty. The 29-year-old scoring machine is averaging 30.5 points, 4.8 rebounds, 5.5 assists, 1.4 steals and 0.3 blocks over 23 games this season. The Cavaliers are off until Friday when they face the floundering Wizards before closing out a two-game week with a home matchup against the Hornets.

Proctor also missed Friday’s game against the Spurs for personal reasons. The 21-year-old point guard might’ve been in line for some minutes with Lonzo Ball (knee) out. Proctor did’t play Wednesday due to a coach’s decision when Ball was available.

Ball had two points, six rebounds and five assists in 22 minutes off the bench against the Spurs on Friday. The 28-year-old point guard will sit out the second game of a back-to-back against the Warriors for injury management reasons. His absence impacts the Cavaliers rotation, but isn’t significant for fantasy basketball.

Merrill is set to miss his ninth consecutive game with a hand injury and has no timetable for return. Jaylon Tyson will continue to have a solid role with Merrill sidelined.

Nae’Qwan Tomlin started this game with Darius Garland (toe) sidelined, and while he was able to contribute 13 points in 18 minutes, he wasn’t as effective as Wade. Though he typically hasn’t been a productive player in fantasy basketball, he was able to start the second half and turn in a strong stat line during his 29 minutes on the floor. Wade isn’t worth rostering, but he played well in this game.

Mitchell is enjoying the best offensive season of his career, which has gone under the radar due to the Cavaliers’ struggles. He’s averaging a career-best 30.6 points per game while also shooting over 50 percent from the floor for the first time in his career. “Only” scoring 28 points in this game actually dropped his average slightly. He’ll keep pouring in the points to help the Cavs stay afloat until they get healthy.

Tyson has been incredible as a starter during his second season in the NBA. He has been able to start more than expected due to various injuries, and he has taken advantage of the opportunity. In 14 starts this year, he is averaging 15.2 points, 5.6 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 2.6 three-pointers per game. As long as he is starting, he should be considered a must-roster player in every format.

With Darius Garland out, Tomlin enters the Cavs’ opening unit for his second start of the season. The remaining four starters each started Cleveland’s most recent game against the Trail Blazers, which ended in a loss. The Cavaliers have lost four of their last five games and will look to get back on track against the Spurs on Friday.

Mobley was a late addition to the injury report due to an illness, but it won’t prevent him from suiting up against San Antonio. With Jarrett Allen (finger) sidelined, Mobley will continue to fill the center spot, which leaves him primed for a big night against Luke Kornet and the Spurs.