Cavaliers' turnover problem meets Wizards' top-five shot defense

The Cleveland Cavaliers (2-1), who give the ball away more than almost any team, host the Washington Wizards (2-2) on Wednesday, October 28 at 7:00 PM ET, with turnovers against shot defense deciding much of it.

Cleveland turns the ball over on 15.4% of its possessions, 28th in the league, and plays the third-fastest pace at 107.2. Every extra possession is another chance to lose the ball.

The Wizards are not a pressure team. Their opponents turn over 11.6% of the time, 24th, so their strength lies elsewhere.

That strength is shot defense. Washington holds opponents to a 49.9 effective field goal percentage, fifth in the league, and ranks fourth in free throws allowed per shot. Cleveland shoots 54.3, ninth, and gets to the line at the sixth-best rate.

Donovan Mitchell leads the Cavaliers at 26.7 points a game on 50.9% shooting. James Harden averages seven assists and 4.3 turnovers.

Trae Young runs the Wizards with 11 assists a game, and Anthony Davis adds 22.8 points and 9.3 rebounds.

Jamir Watkins, Justin Champagnie and Tristan Vukcevic are out for Washington, and AJ Dybantsa, who plays 24.8 minutes a game, is questionable. The Wizards rank 25th in defensive rebounding at 69.1%.

Cleveland lists Nae'Qwan Tomlin, Khalifa Diop and Ernest Udeh, Jr. as out. Tomlin has played 15.7 minutes a game.

Cleveland has won two straight, 127-125 over Minnesota and 125-121 over Brooklyn. Washington lost 110-103 at Charlotte in its last game, after a 124-120 win at Chicago.

Sportsbooks' prices give Cleveland a 76% chance to win. Keel's projection, built from the players available, puts it at 73%, with the Cavaliers favored by 7.5 points.