Cavs: 3 big questions for team hit with a rash of injuries and on losing streak

The Cleveland Cavaliers were playing very well against the best NBA team this season, the Golden State Warriors. Through three quarters in the game on Thursday, the Cavs built a 13-point lead. Then Cleveland forgot how to score and didn’t score for six minutes of the final quarter while the Warriors went on a 17-0 run.

Golden State would go on to win easily 104-89 in a game that felt like the Cavs had the victory in hand. What a strange twist of fate. Being outscored 36-8 in the quarter reminds me more of a middle school basketball final game score when I was coaching those eager youngsters back in the day.

Instead it was Golden State taking advantage of a Cavaliers team minus half their team essentially. Six players were missing for the Wine and Gold, including Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen, two big reasons for Cleveland’s good start to the year. But now the Cavs face a three-game losing streak in the face, despite valiant efforts by all. That has me asking a bunch of questions as I’m a little more worried about where this team is headed than I did a week ago.

Question #1: How on earth are the Cavs going to survive missing Mobley and with some others still working their way back into the swing of things?

Evan Mobley, the Cavaliers rookie star big man went out the game earlier this week against the Boston Celtics with a sprained elbow and could miss up to a month. They were actually without six players due to injury or COVID-related issues Thursday night. With this rash of players for the Wine and Gold out and several of them out for a longer stretch, what on earth should Cavs fans hang their hat on?

I think you have to be happy with how this team, now 17 games into the season, seem to always play hard and seem connected and committed to their teammates well. They all seem to be pushing one another even though the situation at times seems too much to overcome.

In the Brooklyn Nets game on Wednesday, the Cavaliers got down in the second half by 20 points. Yet they worked together, got after loose balls, forced turnovers and were able to climb back into the game getting as close as seven points in the closing minutes. It was the second night of a back-to-back for Brooklyn, but the Cavs were again, very shorthanded.

If nothing else, this period of time for the Cavaliers could really benefit the team long term. Standing at 9-8 on the season now, this group of players, including some that typically have come off the bench like Dean Wade, Denzel Valentine and Ed Davis, are getting valuable time on the floor. When spring rolls around and the Cavs are needing to use their bench in crucial spots that time from them now could be a nice luxury later.