Estatísticas de jogadores e prévia: Cleveland Cavaliers x Denver Nuggets (9 de jan. de 2027)

Strawther (knee) was diagnosed with a left knee sprain Friday and will be re-evaluated in six weeks, Vinny Benedetto of The Denver Gazette reports. Strawther suffered the injury in Wednesday's preseason game against the Clippers. The 24-year-old has appeared in 172 regular-season games for the Nuggets since entering the league in 2023, averaging 7.1 points, 2.0 rebounds and 1.1 assists over 16.2 minutes per contest. He was in line to compete for an expanded role during the 2026-27 campaign. While that may be the case once Strawther is cleared to suit up, Tyus Jones and potentially Ryan Nembhard are candidates to receive more minutes in the interim.

Mitchell (knee) has been ruled out for Saturday's game against the Mavericks. Mitchell will miss his first game of the season due to a left knee contusion. The Cavaliers will be without all of their usual starters, meaning Tyrese Proctor, Meleek Thomas and Craig Porter should all see significant minutes in the backcourt.

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.

Allen (knee) has been ruled out for Saturday's game against the Mavericks. Allen will get a break to rest his injured right knee after playing in each of Cleveland's last three games. With Evan Mobley (toe) also out, Thomas Bryant can be expected to take on a larger role Saturday.

Harden (calf) has been ruled out for Saturday's game against Dallas. Harden will miss his first game of the season due to a calf issue he picked up sometime after Friday's loss to Miami. Fellow guard Donovan Mitchell (knee) will also be inactive Saturday, leaving Tyrese Proctor, Craig Porter and Meleek Thomas as Cleveland's top backcourt options.

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.

Watson (hamstring) has been ruled out for Saturday's game against the Mavericks. Watson will join the rest of Cleveland's regular starters on the inactive list. The 24-year-old's next chance to play will come Monday against Chicago. With Watson sidelined, Jaylon Tyson and Mario Hezonja will likely see increased playing time.

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.