Pregame Dribbles: Cavs Visit Wounded Pelicans With 9-0 In Sight

November 6, 2024

Random dribbles ahead of the Cavaliers’ road game against the Pelicans on Wednesday (8 p.m. EST tipoff) …

1. Can 8-0 get even better? Sure it can. All you need to do is win another.

2. For the Cavaliers, that won’t be easy. As Darius Garland said the other night, winning just one in the NBA is tough. “Eight in a row is crazy,” he added.

3. Nine in a row? Yeah, even crazier. But it’s doable. The Pelicans (3-5) have suffered through multiple injuries and are really struggling. They’ve lost two straight in their own building.

4. One of those came against ex-Pelicans big man and Northeast Ohio native Larry Nance Jr. (Revere High). Nance was traded to the Hawks during the offseason, as part of the Dejounte Murray deal. He returned to New Orleans on Sunday and delivered quite the revenge game.

5. One of the Pelicans’ injured players is another Northeast Ohio native, Canton GlenOak product CJ McCollum. So New Orleans is missing its starting backcourt of Murray and McCollum. Zion Williamson is listed as questionable with another hamstring issue. Trey Murphy and Herb Jones are also out.

6. That’s like half the team and almost all the leading scorers, sans Brandon Ingram. Everyone thinks former Cavs GM and current head of basketball operations David Griffin has put together quite a program in New Orleans. But the best players have been unable to stay on the floor.

7. For the Cavs, Dean Wade (illness) is out for the second straight game. Caris LeVert (knee soreness) is a game-time decision. Wade has missed one game, LeVert two. I thought the absences of both players were really felt in Monday’s close home win over the Bucks.

8. In order for the Cavs to win here, they will need more big nights from their role players — whether that’s Isaac Okoro, Sam Merrill, Georges Niang or Ty Jerome, it doesn’t matter. Coach Kenny Atkinson‘s system works a lot better when at least one of those guys is scoring and efficient.

9. My big fear with the Pelicans is always point guard Jose Alvarado. Never heard of him? That’s OK. Just know he’s been a Cavs killer in recent seasons. He will start with McCollum and Murray out.

10. Anyway, that’s all for now. I’ll be back after the game, as always. In case you didn’t know, my Twitter/X account (@AmicoHoops) was hacked last week. They’re working on getting it returned. You can always follow my Cavs updates @WireHoops as well. I’m also on Threads @samamico.