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MIAMI — The Miami Heat have not played at Kaseya Center since Oct. 30. They return Friday from a five-game Western trip with Giannis Antetokounmpo listed as probable and face a Cleveland Cavaliers team that will be without Evan Mobley.
Antetokounmpo has a right wrist sprain, according to the NBA’s Friday morning injury report. Mobley is out with a left great toe sprain, and Cleveland has also ruled out Sam Merrill and Nae’Qwan Tomlin. Tip-off for the Emirates NBA Cup game is set for 7 p.m. CT.
Miami Finds Its Footing
The Heat (5-6) opened 0-4 under Heat coach Erik Spoelstra, then went 3-2 on the trip, finishing with a 115-109 win at Utah on Tuesday. They are 1-3 at home and play at the second-fastest pace in the NBA.
Antetokounmpo has been the constant. He has eight straight 20-point, 10-rebound games, the second-longest such Heat streak, according to Miami’s game notes, and he leads the NBA with 10.3 made two-pointers per game.
Klay Thompson (left ankle soreness) and Pelle Larsson (illness) are questionable for Miami.
Cleveland After A Bounce-Back Win
Cleveland (6-6) arrives two nights after a 115-107 win at New York. That win followed a 124-112 loss at Charlotte on Monday, after which Cavaliers coach Kenny Atkinson said the Hornets were quicker to the ball and to rebounds than his team. The loss left the Cavaliers 1-4 in November.
“Sometimes in the NBA you get humbled by it,” Atkinson said, according to Field Level Media.
Donovan Mitchell leads Cleveland at 22.8 points per game. Jarrett Allen and Peyton Watson have averaged 1.4 and 1.7 blocks per game this season, respectively.
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