The Cleveland Cavaliers are set to host the Golden State Warriors on Sunday.
At 2-4, the Cavs are looking to avoid falling further in the standings. That might be a tall task, as the Warriors currently sport a 5-1 standing and have won all four of their games on the road early in the 2023-24 campaign. Even so, odds have the home squad a bit favored to win.
How to watch Cavs vs. Warriors
When: Sunday, Nov. 5, 2023 at 6 p.m. ET
Where: Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse
Odds: Cavs minus-1.5; O/U 224.5
TV: Bally Sports Ohio, NBA League Pass or NBC Sports Bay Area
Online streaming: fuboTV
Golden State is coming off two straight wins that were decided by game-winners by the Splash Brothers. Against the Sacramento Kings on Wednesday, Klay Thompson hit a jumper with 1.1 seconds left on the game clock to lift the Warriors to a 102-101 victory.
Two nights after, it was Stephen Curry’s turn to display his clutch genes, sinking a layup with 0.2 seconds remaining to help his squad defeat the Oklahoma City Thunder 141-139 on the road.
On the other hand, the Cavs are off to an inauspicious start, losing all of their first three home contests this season. Their defense has been missing so far in this campaign, allowing opponents to put up 110.8 points per game, good for No. 12 in the league. In contrast, they ranked first in that department last season.
Another challenge for the team is that the injury report shows that Ty Jerome won’t play, while Isaac Okoro is questionable to suit up.
Hopefully, Cavs starters Darius Garland and Jarrett Allen have completely recovered from their respective injuries.
Garland played in Cleveland’s season opener against the Brooklyn Nets before sitting out the next four matches. He made his return to the court in the Cavs’ loss to the Indiana Pacers on Friday. As for Allen, his season debut came against the Pacers. He saw just 21 minutes of action, putting up 10 points, seven rebounds and two blocks.
If the Cavs are at full strength, they appear equipped to fend off what is expected to be a tough challenge from Golden State, especially since they will have the support of the home crowd behind them.
The franchises share a rich history, as their rivalry from 2014 to 2018 defined the NBA. That already seems a long time ago, as the Cavs have since gone on a rebuild. Golden State’s core group of players, though, has largely remained the same, with the exception of the loss of Kevin Durant.
