The Cleveland Cavaliers and Washington Wizards will enter Friday night’s NBA Cup matchup at Capital One Arena with several players listed as questionable or out due to injuries. Cleveland has five players unavailable, while Washington is missing Bilal Coulibaly due to lower leg tightness.
For the Cavaliers, Lonzo Ball is out with left knee injury management, while Max Strus is missing time following surgery for a Jones fracture in his left foot. Chris Livingston remains with the G League on his two-way contract, and Dean Wade is sidelined with a right eye contusion. De’Andre Hunter is listed as probable, dealing with an illness.
Washington will be without guard Bilal Coulibaly, who has left lower leg tightness. The Wizards have struggled through an 1–7 start to the season and will look to gain momentum at home against a 5–3 Cavaliers squad.
Cleveland’s early-season form has been led by Donovan Mitchell, who is averaging 31.9 points over eight games, while Evan Mobley contributes 19.8 points and 8.4 rebounds per contest. Darius Garland has also added 15.7 points per game, providing stability in the backcourt despite the team’s injuries.
Washington’s top performers include Alex Sarr with 19 points and 8.4 rebounds per game, and Kyshawn George, who averages 16.8 points and 6.8 rebounds. CJ McCollum is contributing 11.6 points per game.
The Cavaliers are coming off back-to-back wins against Atlanta and Philadelphia, improving to 5–3, while the Wizards are still seeking their first victory in November.
Game time is set for 7:00 PM ET at Capital One Arena. Both teams will have to adjust strategies, and player availability will be critical in determining which squad can take control early in the NBA Cup East Group A matchup.
