INDEPENDENCE, Ohio — The Cleveland Cavaliers are hoping to be fully healthy for the final stretch of the regular season, starting with a pair of games in Brooklyn this week.
After missing four games with a right eye contusion, Cavs center Jarrett Allen will travel with the team to New York. He practiced in full on Monday but is listed as questionable in the latest injury report.
"We miss his spirit. He's a guy who leads in a different way, but he leads nonetheless and guys love to follow him. The effort that he plays with on the floor is contagious," says Cavs Head Coach J.B. Bickerstaff.
The Cavs have three days between beating the Wizards on Friday and heading to the Big Apple.
"It gives us more of an opportunity to practice. It gives us more of an opportunity to work on small things and hone in on whatever our focuses are," says Bickerstaff.
Cleveland will face Brooklyn in back-to-back games on Tuesday and Thursday. The Nets' roster has undergone some drastic changes since their last meeting, when they beat the Cavs 125-117 on December 26. Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving combined for 63 points that night. Both have been traded, along with Jae Crowder, Kessler Edwards and Markieff Morris. Brooklyn has since added Mikal Bridges, Spencer Dinwiddie, Cam Johnson and Dorian Finney-Smith.
"They're a capable bunch, and they have individual competitors. They have very versatile guys," says Bickerstaff.
With about three weeks left in the regular season, the Nets are fighting to hold onto sixth place in the Eastern Conference.
"We expect them to come out like their back is against the wall, so we have to be prepared for that," says Bickerstaff.
The Cavs are trying to hold onto fourth place in the standings.
"We've had a good stretch of games. Obviously, we're missing JA, so we weren't full, whole and healthy, but I think if everyone comes back, we'll be on the right track, playing our best basketball going into the playoffs," says Cavs guard Caris Levert.
"I mean, we gotta take care of business. That's our focus. We can't start looking too far ahead because there's so much on the line each moment," says Bickerstaff.
The Cavs have won 6 of their last 8 games. They have nine games left in the regular season.
Carly Mascitti is a sports anchor at News 5 Cleveland. Follow her on Twitter @carlymascitti.
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