The Cleveland Cavaliers begin their 2026-27 NBA season on the road at the Xfinity Mobile Arena against the Philadelphia 76ers.
It’s an early reunion between the Cavaliers and LeBron James, who spurned his hometown team in favor of a loaded Sixers team.
Nevertheless, the Cavs are more than equipped to match the Sixers with Donovan Mitchell, James Harden and Evan Mobley, among others.
Cleveland Cavaliers Injury Report vs. Sixers
The Cleveland Cavaliers have three players on their injury report for Thursday’s matchup against the Philadelphia 76ers.
Jarrett Allen is listed as questionable because of right patellar tendinopathy. Allen played in the preseason and was not among those mentioned by coach Kenny Atkinson during his post-practice media availability a few days ago.
It’s a new injury, but Allen will likely get evaluated before the start of the game. He could get upgraded to available or downgraded to out.
If Allen isn’t cleared to play, the Cavaliers could turn to Evan Mobley to start at center. Thomas Bryant will also get more minutes if the scenario plays out.
The other two players on the Cavaliers injury report are Khalifa Diop and Nae’Qwan Tomlin. Both players have been ruled out of the game against the Sixers due to left knee injury management and low back stress reaction, respectively.
Diop doesn’t have a timeline for his return and could be considered day-to-day, while Tomlin has been ruled out for three to six weeks, as per Chris Fedor of The Cleveland Plain Dealer.
Cavaliers vs. Sixers Preview
The Cleveland Cavaliers are playing in their first game of the season. They had a 1-2 record in the preseason, but it’s not indicative of how strong their roster is heading into the new campaign.
James Harden and Donovan Mitchell have a lot to prove after taking the Cavs to their first Eastern Conference Finals in the post-LeBron James era.
There’s pressure on Evan Mobley to take the next leap, which has been predicted about him over the past two seasons.
Peyton Watson brings a different dimension to the Cavs, especially on both sides of the ball. He’ll be matched up against Jaylen Brown and LeBron James in his team debut. He could also be tasked with slowing down Tyrese Maxey, who led the Philadelphia 76ers to a win over the New York Knicks on opening night.
Tonight’s Cavaliers vs. Sixers game is scheduled for a 7:00 p.m. EST tip-off.
Cleveland Cavaliers Announce Injury Report for Season Opener vs. Philadelphia 76ers