Tonight, the NBA’s defending champion Cleveland Cavaliers will host the Atlanta Hawks at 7:30 p.m. EST inside Quicken Loans Arena. With just four games remaining in the regular season, including tonight, the Cavs will look to keep their four-game winning streak alive.
While the Cavs seem to be getting healthy at just the right time, the Hawks have been dealing with quite a few injuries. Kent Bazemore (right knee bone bruise), Paul Millsap (left knee synovitis), and Thabo Sefolosha (right groin strain), Dennis Schröder (right foot sprain), and Dwight Howard (rest) have all been ruled out for tonight’s game. Tim Hardaway Jr. (left wrist sprain, right knee contusion) was listed as “questionable,” but after a bit of speculation on whether or not they would be able to play, Chris Fedor of cleveland.com reports that Hardaway Jr. will be available tonight.
Dennis Schroder is now OUT for Hawks. As is Dwight Howard. Atlanta has…not a lot for tonight's contest.
— Chris Fedor (@ChrisFedor) April 7, 2017
While injuries are always unfortunate, this is excellent news for a surging Cavs team. With a win tonight, the Cavs can move three games ahead of the Boston Celtics, who were defeated by the Hawks on Thursday (123-116), in the Eastern Conference standings.
As for the Cavaliers’ injury report, Tristan Thompson, who is still dealing with a sprained right thumb, is the lone member of the team listed. It is still unclear whether or not he will be available before the end of the regular season. Cavs head coach Tyronn Lue will likely insert Channing Frye into the starting rotation in Thompson’s absence.
#Cavs Ty Lue: "Everyone is playing tonight (except Tristan Thompson, of course)"
— Chris Fedor (@ChrisFedor) April 7, 2017