Cleveland Cavaliers at Toronto Raptors gamethread

Here’s just some facts about the Cleveland Cavaliers as they turn the calendar to 2024:

• Cleveland has a record of 18-14. They are eight games back of the top-seeded Boston Celtics and a game behind the Miami Heat and Orlando Magic for fourth and fifth in the East. This doesn’t feel like a place to start the year considering how odd this season has been. 22
• They are half a game ahead of the seventh-seeded Indiana Pacers and 1.5 games ahead of the eighth-seeded New York Knicks. It is shaping up to be a battle for seeding the East.
• Per Cleaning The Glass, the Cavs are 19th in net rating, 22nd in offense and ninth in defense. Per CTG, the have the profile of a 41.4 win team. Last year, the Cavs finished the regular season second in net rating, seventh in offense and first in defense. The 2022-23 Cavs had the profile of a 55-win team.
• The beginning of the 2023-24 season has not been kind to the Cavs. It has been much harder than they might have hoped coming off how good the regular season was last year. But that means there is room to grow and maybe get back to something closer to last year’s group. Being healthy for an extended period of time would certainly be a big help.

Who: Cleveland Cavaliers at Toronto Raptors

Where: Scotiabank Arena — Toronto, Ontario, Canada

When: 7:30 p.m. EST

TV: Bally Sports Ohio

Spread: Raptors +2.5

Cavs moneyline: +120

Expected Cavs Starting Lineup: Donovan Mitchell, Isaac Okoro, Max Strus, Dean Wade, Jarrett Allen

Cavs Injury Report: Darius Garland (jaw, OUT) Evan Mobley (knee, OUT), Ricky Rubio (personal, OUT), Ty Jerome (ankle, OUT), Isaiah Mobley (G League, OUT), Emoni Bates (G League, OUT)

Expected Raptors Starting Lineup: Scottie Barnes, Dennus Schroeder, Gary Trent Jr., Pascal Siakam, Jakob Poeltl

Raptors Injury Report: Christian Koloko (OUT - illness), Garrett Temple (QUESTIONABLE - ankle sprain)