Who were the key players missing for the Cavaliers?
Donovan Mitchell, James Harden, Max Strus, and Thomas Bryant were out due to injuries or personal reasons.
Sports / NBA
The Cleveland Cavaliers faced the Memphis Grizzlies on April 6, 2026. With the playoffs approaching, the Cavs rested key players but aimed to secure home-court advantage in the first round. Both teams were dealing with significant injury li...
The Cavaliers (49-29) faced the Grizzlies (25-53) at FedExForum in Memphis. Key absences for the Cavs included Donovan Mitchell (ankle), James Harden (personal), Max Strus (foot), and Thomas Bryant (calf). The Grizzlies' extensive injury list featured Santi Aldama, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Brandon Clarke, Zach Edey, and potentially Taj Gibson and Taylor Hendricks.
The expected starting lineup for the Cavs included Dennis Schroder, Sam Merrill, Keon Ellis, Evan Mobley, and Jarrett Allen. The Grizzlies were expected to start Toby Okani, Walter Clayton Jr., Olivier-Maxence Prosper, Rayan Rupert, and Taylor Hendricks.
According to Cleaning the Glass, the Cavs had an offensive rating of 118.8 (7th) and a defensive rating of 114.7 (14th), resulting in a net rating of +4.2 (9th). The Grizzlies had an offensive rating of 113.9 (22nd) and a defensive rating of 118.6 (23rd), with a net rating of -4.7 (22nd).
Donovan Mitchell, James Harden, Max Strus, and Thomas Bryant were out due to injuries or personal reasons.
The Cavs needed just one more win to guarantee home-court advantage in the first round of the playoffs.
The Grizzlies had 10 players ruled out and two listed as doubtful.
What impact do you think the extensive injury list had on the Grizzlies' performance? Share this article with others who need to stay ahead of this trend!
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