The Cleveland Cavaliers have had a frustrating start to the season. They’ve shown how good they could be with impressive stretches throughout their first two games, but poor closes to both contests have made it clear that they’re far from a finished product.
The Cavs will welcome a good Minnesota Timberwolves team to town on Monday. Minnesota made a big move this summer by trading for LaMelo Ball, and so far, things have paid off. The Timberwolves have beaten the Miami Heat and Orlando Magic by a combined 47 points in their first two contests. They’ll be hosting the Toronto Raptors on Sunday evening.
This will be a good test for the Cavs.
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Who: Cleveland Cavaliers (1-1) vs. Minnesota Timberwolves (2-0)
Where: Rocket Arena – Cleveland, OH
When: Monday, Oct. 26 at 7 PM
TV: DAZN, WUAB (Channel 43), RESN, NBA League Pass
Point spread: Not yet set
Cavs injury report: Nae’Qwan Tomlin – OUT (back), Khalifa Diop – OUT (left knee), Ernest Udeh Jr. – OUT (G League)
Timberwolves injury report for Sunday’s game vs. Toronto: Donte DiVincenzo – OUT (right Achilles)
Cavs expectedstarting lineup: James Harden, Donovan Mitchell, Peyton Watson, Evan Mobley, Jarrett Allen
Timberwolves expected starting lineup: LaMelo Ball, Anthony Edwards, Jaden McDaniels, Jaden McDaniels, Rudy Gobert
Cavs jersey:Black Statement Edition uniform
Previous matchup: Both teams split the season series last year. The Cavs won their last contest on January 10, 146-134.
Here’s a look at both teams’ regular-season impact stats from last season via Cleaning the Glass.
| Offensive Rating | Defensive Rating | Net Rating | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cavs | 118.9 (8th) | 115 (15th) | +3.9 (9th) |
| Timberwolves | 116.8 (14th) | 113.2 (6th) | +3.6 (10th) |