The Cleveland Cavaliers could be without two members of their bench against the Atlanta Hawks on Thursday, with Meleek Thomas and Jaylon Tyson listed as questionable.
Thomas is dealing with right foot inflammation/soreness, while Tyson has a cervical strain, according to the NBA’s injury report. Neither player had been ruled out in that report.
Cleveland also lists Nae’Qwan Tomlin as out with a low back stress reaction. Khalifa Diop is unavailable because of a G League assignment, rather than an injury designation.
The Cavs-Hawks game is scheduled for 8 p.m. EST in Atlanta, one night after Cleveland’s 121-111 win over the Washington Wizards.
Cavs injury report vs. Hawks
Here are Cleveland’s listings in the NBA’s report for Thursday’s game:
| Player | Status | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| Meleek Thomas | Questionable | Right foot inflammation/soreness |
| Jaylon Tyson | Questionable | Cervical strain |
| Nae’Qwan Tomlin | Out | Low back stress reaction |
| Khalifa Diop | Out | G League assignment |
Donovan Mitchell, James Harden, Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen do not appear among Cleveland’s listings in that report. The two questionable designations concern players who each logged more than 20 minutes against Washington.
What Thomas and Tyson’s injuries could mean for Cavs
Thomas scored 10 points on 4-of-7 shooting Wednesday, adding four rebounds, one assist and one steal without a turnover in 20:27.
Tyson contributed seven points and two assists in 20:42, making 3-of-5 shots. Together, the two players supplied 17 of Cleveland’s 32 bench points and accounted for 41:09 of court time.
That gives Kenny Atkinson a meaningful amount of playing time to redistribute if both are unavailable.
Thomas’ absence would also interrupt an opportunity that has begun to expand: Atkinson previously explained the need for another ball-handler to support Mitchell and Harden.
After Wednesday’s game, the coach offered another positive assessment of Thomas.
“We found a guy,” Atkinson said.
Sam Merrill, Mario Hezonja and Tyrese Proctor are possible options for additional work if the Cavs need to adjust. Merrill played 20:22 against Washington, Hezonja logged 17:03 and Proctor played six minutes.
Craig Porter Jr. did not play because of a coach’s decision. Those minutes provide a picture of Cleveland’s most recent rotation, but they do not establish a replacement order for Thursday.
Atkinson could expand another reserve’s role or redistribute responsibility within the groups he already uses, depending on which players are available.
Cavs face quick turnaround in Atlanta
Cleveland enters the road game at 3-1 after beating Washington. Harden played 33:42 in that victory, Mitchell logged 31:17, Mobley played 31:49 and Allen finished with 30:28.
The back-to-back makes the bench decisions more relevant. If Thomas and Tyson cannot play, replacing their minutes with heavier starter workloads would ask those players to take on more responsibility without a day between games.
For now, both remain questionable in the verified report. It does not provide a recovery timetable or establish that either will miss additional games.
Their final availability will determine whether Cleveland can use its recent bench mix or needs to change it against Atlanta.
