BACK-TO-BACK, GAME ONE
These are the tough days of the NBA schedule for most teams – wiping out the remainder of their big inter-conference trips in the final stretch before the All-Star Break. On Friday night, the road-weary Warriors roll into Cleveland to compete an extended tour and revisit a classic rivalry.
After wrapping up their long Western Conference trip, the Cavs came home to knock off the Pelicans before falling in their return to the road in Memphis. Playing without Donovan Mitchell, who suffered a strained left groin in the third quarter of Monday’s win, the Cavaliers rallied back from a 19-point deficit and nearly upset the league’s hottest squad, but Grizzlies big man Steven Adams tipped in the game-winner with 16 seconds to play and Cleveland couldn’t get off a quality shot on its final possession.
The Warriors are wrapping up a five-game, eight-day trip and are on the second night of a back-to-back after falling in overtime on Thursday in Boston. In the thrilling Finals rematch, Al Horford, Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum all drilled big late threes, tying the game late after not leading through the first three quarters and avenging a loss in San Francisco back in December.
The Cavs last regular season win over Golden State was a one-point victory on Christmas Day in 2016. Since then, the Warriors have taken 11 straight over the Wine and Gold – including a 106-101 decision on November 11 in San Francisco.
FORMER MVP
In a perfect NBA universe, tonight’s affair would be a star-studded matchup between two franchises with a heated history. But injuries and a grueling schedule might put a pair of heavy hitters in doubt on Friday.
Donovan Mitchell nearly notched a triple-double in the last meeting with the Warriors, finishing with 29 points, 10 boards and nine assists. Steph Curry led all scorers in the win, drilling six triples and finishing with 40 points. But Mitchell could miss his second straight with a groin injury, and Curry just logged 43 minutes last night in Boston.
With Mitchell out of the starting lineup on Wednesday, the Cavs turned to Caris LeVert – and once again the 7th-year man from Michigan came through, finishing with 23 points on 9-for-19 shooting, keying a big second quarter run and adding six assists.
LeVert has now scored 20-plus in four of his last five starts, averaging 19.8ppg while shooting 48 percent from the floor and 47 percent from deep over that stretch.
If Curry does give it a go on Friday night, he’ll look to continue tormenting the Wine & Gold. Over the last seven meetings, all wins, he’s averaging 37.0 points per, topping the 30-point mark twice and the 40-point plateau four times.
MOBLEY IN THE MIDDLE
Since the start of the Western Conference trip a couple weeks ago, Evan Mobley has been very good on both ends – and he was really good on Wednesday night in Memphis.
The svelte sophomore from USC doubled-up with 18 points and a game-high 15 boards against the Grizzlies – adding three assists, two blocks and a steal. Mobley’s notched double-figures in each of his last seven games, averaging 17.9 points and 9.0 rebounds per on 60 percent shooting. Through it all, he’s been a menace on the defensive end.
Mobley was outstanding in the previous meeting against Golden State in mid-November, doubling-up with 20 points, a game-high 13 boards, four assists and a pair of blocks.
On Friday night, Mobley could see a lot of another player the Cavaliers selected at the top of the Draft in Andrew Wiggins.
After earning his first All-Star nod and fresh off an incredible Finals run last year, the durable 9th-year man from Kansas is having another rock-solid season, averaging an even 18.0ppg with 11 20-point performances on the year – including a 20-point effort on 8-of-13 shooting in Golden State’s win over Cleveland in November.
In 16 career meetings against his former team, he’s gone for at least 20 points seven times, more than 30 points twice and for 41 back in 2017.