Four Cavaliers starters sit out Saturday game in Dallas

The Cleveland Cavaliers entered Saturday’s game against the Dallas Mavericks without their entire usual starting lineup. Coach Kenny Atkinson listed four players as inactive during his pregame availability.

Shooting guard Donovan Mitchell is out with a left knee bruise, and point guard James Harden has a left calf issue. Small forward Peyton Watson is dealing with a right hamstring injury, while center Jarrett Allen has a right knee problem. Power forward Evan Mobley, who sprained his left big toe, missed this game and the previous one.

The travel disruption began after Friday’s NBA Cup contest in Miami, where the Cavaliers lost 133-122 to the Heat. A nationwide ground stop forced the team to stay in South Florida. They flew back to Cleveland on Saturday morning, arriving early enough to prepare for the game.

Atkinson acknowledged the difficult circumstances but focused on competition. “You know how it goes in the NBA,” he said. “We have to deal with different circumstances, obviously, in this case, but we’ll go out and compete and make the fans proud of us.” He added that the team was lucky to secure a hotel in Miami and return home in time.

Fans at Rocket Arena reacted loudly when the inactives were announced, booing the lineup changes. The Cavaliers will rely on Mario Hezonja and Thomas Bryant, who made their initial starts of the season. They will be joined by Jaylon Tyson, Tyrese Proctor, and rookie Meleek Thomas in the starting five.

The team is now in Dallas for the matchup. With four starters sidelined, the bench players take on a larger role in the game plan.