Cleveland Cavaliers vs Toronto Raptors: preview and player stats (Jan 29, 2027)

Injury/Illness - Left Knee Contusion/Injury Management (2026-11-14, DAL@CLE). Prior reporting (2026-11-14): Mitchell (knee) is listed as questionable for Saturday's game against the Mavericks. Mitchell is dealing with a left knee contusion and could sit out the second leg of this back-to-back set. The star guard's absence would open up more minutes for guys like Meleek Thomas and Tyrese Proctor. James Harden (lower leg/calf), Peyton Watson (hamstring) and Jarrett Allen (knee) are all also in danger of joining Evan Mobley (toe) and Sam Merrill (elbow) on the shelf, so Cleveland could be shorthanded against Dallas.

Injury/Illness - Left Great Toe Sprain (2026-11-14, DAL@CLE). Prior reporting (2026-11-14): Mobley (toe) has been ruled out for Saturday's meeting with Dallas. Mobley will miss a second consecutive contest due to a left great toe sprain, and his next chance to play will come Monday against the Bulls. Jarrett Allen (knee) is questionable for Saturday's contest, so Thomas Bryant could be asked to step into an expanded role.

Injury/Illness - Right Knee Injury Management (2026-11-14, DAL@CLE). Prior reporting (2026-11-14): Allen (knee) is listed as questionable for Saturday's game against Dallas. Allen has played in each of Cleveland's last three games after sitting out two contests with a right knee injury, but lingering issues have now put his availability for Saturday's game in jeopardy. Thomas Bryant and Mario Hezonja could take on increased playing time if Allen ends up sitting.

Injury/Illness - Left Lower Leg/Calf Tightness (2026-11-14, DAL@CLE). Prior reporting (2026-11-14): Harden (left lower leg/calf tightness) is listed as questionable for Saturday's game against the Mavericks. Harden could be held out of the second leg of this back-to-back set. If the veteran guard is ruled out, Tyrese Proctor and Craig Porter would likely see increased playing time. Donovan Mitchell (knee), Peyton Watson (hamstring) and Jarrett Allen (knee) are all also in jeopardy of joining Evan Mobley (toe) and Sam Merrill (elbow) on the inactive list, so the Cavaliers could be shorthanded Saturday.

Injury/Illness - Right Elbow Injury Management (2026-11-14, DAL@CLE). Prior reporting (2026-11-10): Merrill (elbow) is listed as out for Wednesday's game against the Knicks. Merrill has battled a lingering elbow issue since the preseason. He will now miss a third consecutive contest, with his next opportunity to suit up coming Friday in Miami. While Merrill is sidelined, Craig Porter, Meleek Thomas and Tyrese Proctor should see more minutes.

Injury/Illness - Right Hamstring Injury Management (2026-11-14, DAL@CLE). Prior reporting (2026-11-14): Watson (hamstring) is listed as questionable for Saturday's game against the Mavericks. Watson missed a pair of games at the beginning of November due to a sore right hamstring, and he appears to still be battling problems in that same hamstring. Meleek Thomas and Mario Hezonja may step into larger roles if Watson is ruled out.

Injury/Illness - Low Back Stress Reaction (2026-11-14, DAL@CLE). Prior reporting (2026-10-20): Tomlin is set to miss several weeks with a lower back stress reaction, Chris Fedor of The Cleveland Plain Dealer reports. This is a tough blow for the forward and there's no guarantee he's cleared right away when he's re-evaluated in three-to-four weeks. Tomlin wasn't projected to crack the rotation ahead of Opening Night and was penciled in to be an emergency depth option.

G League - Two-Way (2026-11-14, DAL@CLE).

Injury/Illness - Left Knee Injury Management (2026-11-15, NYK@TOR). Prior reporting (2026-11-11): Head coach Darko Rajakovic said Wednesday that Leonard (knee) is doing individual on-court work and is progressing well, Michael Grange of Sportsnet.ca reports. The Raptors are expected to provide another update on Leonard's status in about one week, though it's encouraging to see how he's progressed thus far. Collin Murray-Boyles and Ja'Kobe Walter are candidates for increased playing time for as long as Leonard is sidelined.

Injury/Illness - Left Groin Strain (2026-11-15, NYK@TOR). Prior reporting (2026-11-14): Barnes (groin) is listed as questionable for Sunday's game against the Knicks, Michael Grange of Sportsnet.ca reports. Barnes has missed four straight games with a groin strain, but he was able to participate partially in practice Saturday. Collin Murray-Boyles would presumably pick up another start at power forward if Barnes' absence continues.

G League - Two-Way (2026-11-15, NYK@TOR).

G League - Two-Way (2026-11-15, NYK@TOR). Prior reporting (2026-11-13): McCullar signed a two-way contract with the Raptors on Thursday, Michael Scotto of HoopsHype.com reports. McCullar quickly finds a new home after being waived by the Knicks in late October. The forward is expected to play a prominent role for Toronto's G League affiliate.

Injury/Illness - Right Foot Avulsion Fracture (2026-11-15, NYK@TOR). Prior reporting (2026-11-08): Bittle (foot) is listed as out for Monday's game against Memphis. Bittle has been battling a foot injury for a couple of months. It's unknown when the rookie will be cleared to suit up for the Raptors, so he should be considered week-to-week for now.