Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Philadelphia 76ers: game preview and how to watch

The Cavs kick-off their preseason in Cleveland with a rematch in opposition to the Philadelphia 76ers.

Who: Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Philadelphia 76ers

The place: Rocket Mortgage Subject Home – Cleveland, OH

When: 7 p.m. EST

TV: NBA TV, Bally Sports activities Ohio, Bally Sports activities+

Opposing weblog: Liberty Ballers

Anticipated Cavs beginning lineup: Darius Garland / Donovan Mitchell / Caris LeVert / Dean Wade / Jarrett Allen

Cavs damage report: Kevin Love (OUT – knee), Evan Mobley (OUT – proper ankle), Dylan Windler (OUT – proper ankle), Ricky Rubio (OUT – ACL)

Anticipated Sixers beginning lineup: James Harden / Tyrese Maxey / Matisse Thybulle / Tobias Harris / P.J. Tucker

Sixers damage report: Joel Embiid (OUT – training plan), Montrezl Harrell (QUESTIONABLE – ribs)

Three issues to observe

Caris LeVert’s match with the starters. LeVert regarded good within the beginning lineup on Wednesday night time. That stated, there are real questions on LeVert’s match with Garland and Mitchell on each ends of the ground.

LeVert’s match offensively is just a little unconventional. The vast majority of his discipline aim makes with the Cavs final season have been unassisted, which exhibits that he likes to create off-the-dribble for himself which is an efficient talent to have. Nonetheless, that skill-set usually isn’t a high quality you need to have when paired with two different all-star guards. You’d usually wish to maintain the ball within the all-stars’ arms as a lot as doable whereas having somebody with a decrease utilization who can shoot and/or make fast cuts to the rim paired alongside them.

That stated, LeVert confirmed in his temporary time on the ground that he may pair effectively with different excessive utilization guards and transfer effectively off-ball. Within the play under we see LeVert slip a display he set on the high of the arc for Mitchell resulting in a dunk off a Jarrett Allen help.

Right here, LeVert does a superb job of probing the protection and hitting Isaac Okoro within the nook. Okoro promptly strikes the ball to Mitchell on the high of the important thing. LeVert, utilizing Allen’s ending potential to his benefit, finds a smooth spot within the protection and dives to the rim for an open layup.

Stuff like that is precisely what the Cavs want from the beginning three spot. The defensive finish might current some points however his offensive match is extra clear if he continues to do what he did on Wednesday.

Can Mamadi Diakite again up his spectacular fourth quarter efficiency? Diakite was the star of the fourth quarter on Wednesday night time. He performed the complete body whereas offering eight factors on 4 of 5 taking pictures with three boards and three blocks.

Diakite made a superb argument for the fifteenth spot on the roster together with his play. We’ll see if he’s capable of again that efficiency up with one other good one tonight.

Dean Wade’s three-point taking pictures. Wade made probably the most of his minutes within the first preseason recreation as he knocked down three of his 5 makes an attempt from the skin ending with 11 factors, 5 rebounds and an help in 23 minutes.

Whereas LeVert confirmed that he may match with the offense, Wade’s match is extra typical if he’s snug taking and making threes. Wade took the vast majority of his photographs from three final season (63.6%) however his extremely low utilization (10.2%) meant that he solely averaged 2.8 threes per recreation. Being a 35.9% three level shooter isn’t as useful because it could possibly be when you aren’t taking sufficient threes to generate gravity and a spotlight from the protection.

Wade regarded extra assured in Wednesday’s recreation. We’ll see if he’s capable of maintain that up. His match within the beginning lineup would make extra sense given his defensive potential and low utilization offensive match.