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Game Summary
The Wine and Gold conclude their 2013 Preseason tonight when they take on the Charlotte Bobcats at Time Warner Cable Arena. Tipoff is at 7:00 p.m. ET.
Last night against the Washington Wizards in Cincinnati, Tristan Thompson scored 17 points and pulled down 14 rebounds despite the Cavaliers (4-3) losing 101-82.
Through seven preseason games, the Cavs have four players averaging double figures in scoring: Kyrie Irving (15.5), Tristan Thompson (12.7), C.J. Miles (12.0) and Dion Waiters (12.0).
Charlotte (3-3) dropped their last preseason game on October 19, 89-83, against the Dallas Mavericks as rookie big man, Cody Zeller, led the way with 14 points.
Probable Starters/Injury Report* presented by Cleveland Clinic
Bobcats: PG - Kemba Walker, SG - Gerald Henderson, SF - Michael Kidd-GilchristPF - Cody Zeller, C - Bismack Biyombo
Injuries: (Cavs) - Tyler Zeller, (Appendectomy, Out), Andrew Bynum, (Right Knee Surgery, Out), Carrick Felix, (Mild Sports Hernia, Out), Sergey Karasev, (Sprained Left Ankle, Out), C.J. Miles, (Right Calf, Out), Dion Waiters, (Left Ankle, Out)
(Bobcats) - Al Jefferson, (Right Ankle Sprain, Out), Brendan Haywood, (Stress Fracture, Left Foot, Out)
Head-to-Head Matchup
The two teams last met in preseason action on October 15th at the Canton Memorial Civic Center as the Wine and Gold fell 92-74. Kyrie Irving led the Cavaliers with 15 points and dished out four assists.
During the 2012-13 regular season, the Cavs went 2-1 against Charlotte, outscoring the Bobcats 108.7 to 101.3 and shooting .520 from the field in the three-game series. They also averaged 26.7 assists and only 10.3 turnovers against Charlotte.
Key to the Game/Key Matchup
Key to the Game
Controlling the Tempo
Under first-year head coach, Steve Clifford, Charlotte seems to have adopted a slower-paced game, and as a result, their defense has improved.
The Bobcats have held their opponents under 90 points in all six preseason contests so far and are giving up a league-low 82.7 points per game. They are the only team in the league to have held their opponents under 90 points in every game, and also rank third in opponent field goal percentage, with opposing teams shooting only .395 from the field
The Wine and Gold will have to look to increase the tempo of the game in an effort to break down the Bobcats by exploring fastbreak opportunities before Charlotte's half court defense gets set.
Key Matchup
Bench Battle
With the Wine and Gold on the back end of a back-to-back, their bench will play a key role in tonight's game.
The Cavaliers second and third units have closed several games this preseason and logged the majority of minutes in the second half.
For the bench players on both squads, tonight's game may be their last opportunity to impress their respective coaches and basketball operations staff as the deadline for the final 15-man roster approaches. With that in mind, look for the reserves to come out and play extremely hard.
Where to Catch the Action
TV: Fox Sports Ohio, Radio: WTAM 1100, NBA League Pass Audio
For live in-game updates, follow @cavs, @CavsJoeG, @CavsFredMcLeod, @MrCavalier34, @CavsJMike and @chones22 on Twitter.
Be sure to check cavs.com for Joe Gabriele's live in-game blog providing instant analysis and game notes. Plus, get into the discussion as die-hard Cavs fans talk about the game on CavFanatic's GameDay Thread.
Use the official mobile app of the Cleveland Cavaliers to enhance your experience with the team 24/7. Feel like you’re at the game with real time updates during the action and easy access to team news, social media, and forums.
On Deck
The Cavaliers open up their 2013-14 Regular Season on Wednesday, October 30th at The Q against the Brooklyn Nets at 7:00 p.m. ET.