The Cleveland Cavaliers (18-16) host the Phoenix Suns (19-13) at Rocket Arena on Wednesday.
Phoenix has been one of the biggest surprises in the NBA, and they’ll look to keep that momentum rolling in a New Year’s Eve matchup against Cleveland.
Here are three key storylines to know heading into Wednesday’s showdown.
- The Suns continue to surprise: Phoenix fell short of expectations last season and entered this year with a new-look core. They traded away Kevin Durant for Jalen Green and Dillon Brooks, but Green has missed most of the season due to a hamstring strain. Brooks has brought a new dynamic with his hustle and defense to help give the Suns a new identity. Phoenix ranks 10th in defensive rating, up from 27th in the same metric last season. It’s a different formula than fans are used to seeing from the Suns in recent years, but it’s clearly paying dividends; they have won 18 of their last 27 games.
- The Cavaliers are looking to find their form: Cleveland was one of the best teams in the NBA when they posted a 64-18 record last season, but this season has thrown some challenges its way. The Cavaliers are only two losses away from reaching last year’s loss total; for context, they didn’t pick up their 18th loss until April last season. The good news is that they enter this matchup winning three of their last five fixtures. Most importantly, this roster is finally getting fully healthy. Darius Garland, Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen have all missed significant time this season, but all three of these starters are back and fully healthy. That’s a group that emphatically showed it can be one of the best in the league very recently. The Cavs rank eighth in points scored, 10th in offensive efficiency and 11th in net rating, so positive regression should be right around the corner. We’re also seeing Garland return to his All-Star form, averaging 19.8 points and 8.0 assists across his last six outings.
- Collin Gillespie’s breakout season: The Green injury was unfortunate for Phoenix, but it has allowed Gillespie to have a breakout campaign. He’s stepped into a starting point guard gig in his absence, averaging 16.2 points, 4.4 rebounds, 5.5 assists and 1.7 steals since moving into a full-time starting role Dec.1. Gillespie’s spark from the backcourt has helped Phoenix enter today’s game on a four-game win streak. Filling the Green void is one thing, but it’s even better that the Suns have unearthed some great backcourt depth when Green is ready to return to action. Devin Booker and Green form one of the most dynamic backcourts in the league, and Gillespie’s emergence gives opposing teams yet another guard to account for.
