Cleveland Cavaliers head coach Tyronn Lue missed Monday morning’s practice session at Cleveland Clinics Courts due to an illness. However, the Mexico, Missouri native is expected to be available for Monday night’s home game against the Detroit Pistons, according to a report from Marla Ridenour of the Akron Beacon Journal.
The Cavs — now the third-ranked team in the Eastern Conference standings with a 36-26 overall record — have lost three of their last five games, which includes a 126-117 setback against the Denver Nuggets on Saturday night.
These are trying times for coach Lue and his Cavs, to be sure.
Kevin Love, Cleveland’s starting power forward, has been out since Jan. 30 due a broken left hand. Though he’s been on the practice court in recent days, the former UCLA standout is expected to miss 6-8 weeks in total.
Tony Dejak/The Associated Press
Cavs center Tristan Thompson, who recently learned the sex of his baby with Khloe Kardashian, suffered a sprained right ankle in Saturday night’s loss to the Nuggets. According to multiple reports, the 6-10 rebounding machine will be sidelined for “several games.”
Thompson stepped on the heel of a Nuggets player in the first half on Saturday. He went on to play 13 minutes in the second half — finishing the game with 12 points and seven rebounds — but experienced “significant swelling” overnight, according to the team.
With Thompson out of the lineup, the Cavs will likely give newly-acquired big man Larry Nance Jr. a starting nod at the center position, though he too suffered a minor injury in Saturday’s game against the Nuggets.
Monday night’s Cavs-Pistons game is set to tip inside Quicken Loans Arena at 7:00 p.m. EST with FOX Sports Ohio and FOX Sports Detroit having live broadcast coverage.
