4 months ago
- Cavaliers
- Updated: Jan. 06, 2026, 5:01 a.m.
- Published: Jan. 06, 2026, 5:00 a.m.
CLEVELAND, Ohio — The Cavs caput backmost to Indiana connected Tuesday to look a depleted Pacers team. Tipoff astatine 7 p.m. Eastern.
For Thomas Bryant, it’s a homecoming of sorts — nan past regular-season sojourn to Gainbridge Fieldhouse this year, and nan 1 wherever he’ll look nan squad that gave him his first existent sensation of playoff basketball.
The Pacers are a protector of nan squad Bryant near behind. At 6-30, they’re adjacent nan bottommost of nan league, and a miraculous turnaround into a play-in spot feels each but impossible. Yet, Cleveland can’t spend to look past them.
Even a depleted Indiana roster has capable devices to utilization nan Cavs if they slip. Chief among them: gait and physicality.
Indiana ranks 11th successful nan NBA successful pace, pinch Andrew Nembhard and Aaron Nesmith starring a backcourt that tin push nan tempo and situation Cleveland’s shot handlers. The blueprint has been heard astir nan league — get nan Cavs scrambling successful modulation and unit mistakes.
For nan Cavs, nan absence of Donovan Mitchell (rest) will trial that blueprint. Even without their superstar, nan Cavs’ depth, seasoned savvy and nan beingness of Bryant — who knows Indiana’s tendencies wrong and retired — should beryllium capable to grip this type of nan Pacers.
Tuesday is simply a chance for nan Cavs to stack wins, proceed building consistency and for them to beryllium that nary matter nan force aliases nan circumstances, they’re locked successful connected nan task astatine hand.
- Cavs’ Donovan Mitchell won’t play Tuesday vs. Pacers
- Cavs’ experimentation play is closing — imaginable must move to wins earlier they autumn into an undiggable hole
- The Cavs’ second-least productive chair portion successful NBA exposed
How to watch nan Cavs: See really to watch nan Cavs games pinch this handy game-by-game TV schedule.
Here’s what to cognize astir nan matchup:
Who: Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Indiana Pacers
Series: Third of 4 matchups successful nan regular season.
Where: Gainbridge Fieldhouse.
When: 7 p.m. ET.
The constituent spread: Cavs minus-4.5; O/U 232.5
TV: FanDuel Sports Network - Ohio & Rock Sports
Injury report
Cavs
Questionable:
- Jarrett Allen (illness)
- Dean Wade (left knee; contusion)
Out:
- Chris Livingston (G League – Two-Way)
- Donovan Mitchell (rest)
- Larry Nance Jr. (right calf; strain)
- Max Strus (left foot; Jones fracture surgery)
- Luke Travers (G League – Two-Way)
Pacers
Out:
- Tyrese Haliburton (right Achilles tendon; tear)
- Isaiah Jackson (concussion)
- Bennedict Mathurin (right thumb; sprain)
- Obi Toppin (right foot; accent fracture)
Ethan Sands is simply a sports journalist and podcast big for Cleveland.com, wherever he covers nan Cleveland Cavaliers and hosts nan Wine and Gold Talk podcast. Since joining successful October 2023, Sands has provided...
