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Sam Merrill Sam Merrill (hamstring) questionable vs. Milwaukee
Mon, Mar 16, 2026, 12:53 PM
NBA Injury Report
Sam Merrill (hamstring) is questionable for Tuesday's game against the Bucks.
Analysis: Merrill has missed the last two games with tightness in his left hamstring. Keon Ellis moved into the starting lineup in his absence and may continue to do so. However, Max Strus (foot) made his season debut on Sunday and played extremely well. Ultimately, he may be the fifth starter once the Cavaliers are back to full strength. |
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Craig Porter Craig Porter Jr. (groin) to miss 1-3 weeks
Mon, Mar 16, 2026, 12:50 PM
NBA Injury Report
The Cavaliers announced on Monday that Craig Porter (groin) will be out for one to three weeks.
Analysis: Porter strained his left groin during Friday's win over the Mavericks in Dallas. While his absence leaves the Cavaliers down an option at the point guard position, they should have enough depth to compensate. |
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Jarrett Allen Jarrett Allen (knee) to miss three-game road trip
Mon, Mar 16, 2026, 12:44 PM
Danny Cunningham
Jarrett Allen (knee) will not be available for the next three games.
Analysis: Allen, who has not appeared in a game since March 3, will remain out for all three games of Cleveland's road trip that begins in Milwaukee on Tuesday. In his absence, the Cavaliers have used Evan Mobley as their starting center, with Keon Ellis being the fifth starter the last two games due to Sam Merrill's hamstring injury. With Max Strus back from a foot injury, there could come a point when he's starting instead of Ellis. |
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Max Strus Max Strus hits six triples in season debut
Sun, Mar 15, 2026, 12:07 PM
Max Strus recorded 24 points (7-of-9 FGs, 4-of-4 FTs), eight rebounds, one assist and six three-pointers in Sunday's loss to the Mavericks.
Analysis: Sunday was Strus's first appearance of the season, and the Cavaliers' guard looked incredibly sharp. He hit three three-pointers in his first stint on the floor and finished with 24 points. Strus played 22 minutes, and it isn't difficult to envision his playing time increasing at some point during the fantasy playoff weeks. Cleveland has been without Sam Merrill recently, so getting Strus back is a big deal, even with Sunday's defeat. |
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Evan Mobley Evan Mobley posts 18 points, four blocked shots
Sun, Mar 15, 2026, 12:06 PM
Evan Mobley accumulated 18 points (8-of-14 FGs, 2-of-5 FTs), 11 rebounds, four assists and four blocked shots in Sunday's loss to the Mavericks.
Analysis: Mobley finished Sunday's defeat with his second double-double in three games and 21st of the season, and he's blocked multiple shots in four of his last five games. Interestingly, Jarrett Allen's absence has not given Mobley's fantasy value the boost many hoped for. Mobley has provided eighth-round value over his last five games; shooting 43.5 percent from the foul line doesn't help. |
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Donovan Mitchell Donovan Mitchell scores team-high 26 points
Sun, Mar 15, 2026, 12:06 PM
Cleveland Cavaliers
Donovan Mitchell tallied 26 points (10-of-24 FGs, 2-of-2 FTs), one rebound, 11 assists, two steals and four three-pointers in Sunday's loss to the Mavericks.
Analysis: Mitchell made some history on Sunday, surpassing the 15,000-point mark for his NBA career. He's the fifth player to accomplish that feat amongst players entering the league in 2017. Fantasy managers will also be pleased with the 11 assists, the most in a game for Mitchell since January 16, with this being his third game of the season with at least ten helpers. The Cavaliers play three games in Week 21, starting with the Bucks on Tuesday. |
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Max Strus Max Strus (foot) to make season debut Sunday
Sun, Mar 15, 2026, 8:37 AM
Cleveland Cavaliers
Max Strus (foot) is available for Sunday's game against the Mavericks.
Analysis: For the first time this season, Strus is available to play. While no specifics have been provided on a minutes limit, fantasy managers should not expect him to take on a full workload in his first few games back. Sam Merrill (hamstring) is out, so Strus can take on some of those minutes. |
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Max Strus Max Strus (foot) probable Sunday vs. Dallas
Sat, Mar 14, 2026, 1:43 PM
NBA Injury Report
Max Strus (foot) is probable for Sunday's game against the Mavericks.
Analysis: Strus is on track to make his season debut on Sunday. While he'll provide shooting, especially with Sam Merrill (hamstring) out, fantasy managers should expect Strus' playing time to be limited in his first few games back. |
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Craig Porter Craig Porter Jr. (groin) ruled out vs. Dallas
Sat, Mar 14, 2026, 1:20 PM
NBA Injury Report
Craig Porter Jr. (groin) is out for Sunday's game against the Mavericks.
Analysis: Porter is out with a strained groin, and the injury may cost him multiple games. While his absence alone doesn't affect fantasy basketball, it does leave the Cavaliers down another option on the perimeter. James Harden and Dennis Schröder will continue to handle point guard duties, as they do when Porter is healthy. |
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Sam Merrill Sam Merrill (hamstring) to remain out vs. Dallas
Sat, Mar 14, 2026, 1:14 PM
NBA Injury Report
Sam Merrill (hamstring) is out for Sunday's game against the Mavericks.
Analysis: Merrill will miss a second straight game with left hamstring tightness. Keon Ellis moved into the starting lineup on Friday and should retain that role, which raises his fantasy ceiling. |
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Jarrett Allen Jarrett Allen (knee) ruled out Sunday vs. Dallas
Sat, Mar 14, 2026, 1:12 PM
NBA Injury Report
Jarrett Allen (knee) is out for Sunday's game against the Mavericks.
Analysis: Allen's continued absence means the Cavaliers will continue to use Evan Mobley as their starting center. Also, with Sam Merrill (hamstring) out, Keon Ellis is in line to be the fifth starter. |
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Evan Mobley Evan Mobley tallies game-high 29 points vs. Dallas
Fri, Mar 13, 2026, 3:58 PM
Evan Mobley accounted for 29 points (12-of-15 FGs, 3-of-7 FTs), seven rebounds, two assists, one steal and two three-pointers in Friday's win over the Mavericks.
Analysis: Mobley had an excellent night at the office in Dallas, except for the foul shooting. The Cavaliers' forward/center shot 80 percent from the field and finished a blocked shot shy of a complete stat line. Dallas potentially having Daniel Gafford for Sunday's rematch could make things a bit more challenging for Mobley, but it would be unsurprising if he had a big day to end Week 20. |
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Donovan Mitchell Donovan Mitchell records 24 points, eight assists
Fri, Mar 13, 2026, 3:58 PM
Donovan Mitchell recorded 24 points (11-of-16 FGs, 1-of-1 FTs), two rebounds, eight assists, two steals and one three-pointer in Friday's win over the Mavericks.
Analysis: Mitchell and the Cavaliers took care of business early on Friday, allowing him to watch a good chunk of the fourth quarter from the bench. After shooting 13-of-35 from the field in his two prior appearances, the Cavaliers' guard was far more efficient in scoring his points. Add in the eight assists, and Friday was a good night for managers who have Mitchell on their rosters. Cleveland hosts Dallas on Sunday to end Week 20, so he could be in for another good night. |
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Keon Ellis CLE starts Harden, Mitchell, Ellis, Wade, Mobley
Fri, Mar 13, 2026, 1:06 PM
NBA Lineups
James Harden, Donovan Mitchell, Keon Ellis, Dean Wade and Evan Mobley will start Friday's game against the Mavericks.
Analysis: The Cavaliers won't have Sam Merrill for Friday's game, as he has been ruled out due to hamstring tightness. Ellis will move into the starting lineup, giving his short-term fantasy value a boost. Jaylon Tyson's playing time may increase, but he misses out on the fantasy value increase that would have come if he were allowed to start. |
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Sam Merrill Sam Merrill (hamstring) downgraded to out vs. DAL
Fri, Mar 13, 2026, 12:43 PM
Danny Cunningham
Sam Merrill (hamstring) is out for Friday's game against the Mavericks.
Analysis: Merrill was added to the injury report on Friday afternoon due to tightness in his left hamstring, and now he's officially out. Keon Ellis will move into the starting lineup, which raises his fantasy ceiling. Ellis is worth streaming in deep leagues. |
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Sam Merrill Sam Merrill (hamstring) questionable Friday
Fri, Mar 13, 2026, 6:59 AM
NBA Injury Report
Sam Merrill (hamstring) is questionable for Friday's matchup with the Mavericks.
Analysis: Merrill is dealing with left hamstring tightness, and it could keep him sidelined against Dallas. If Merrill is ultimately ruled out, more playing time could be available for Jaylon Tyson and Keon Ellis. |
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Jarrett Allen Jarrett Allen (knee) remains out vs. Dallas
Thu, Mar 12, 2026, 11:50 AM
NBA Injury Report
Jarrett Allen (knee) has been ruled out against the Mavericks on Friday.
Analysis: This will be a fourth straight absence for Allen, which has opened the door for Sam Merrill to start in his place. Merrill has been streaky, but he is more than capable of getting hot from deep. |
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Evan Mobley Evan Mobley records 18/13/4 line, two blocks
Wed, Mar 11, 2026, 4:26 PM
Evan Mobley accounted for 18 points (8-of-13 FGs, 2-of-7 FTs), 13 rebounds, four assists and two blocks in Wednesday's loss to the Magic.
Analysis: The lone negative for Mobley managers on Wednesday was his foul shooting, as he made two of seven attempts. The double-double was his second of March, and he's totaled eight blocked shots in his last three games. With Mobley shooting 56.4 percent from the line since the All-Star break, his fantasy value has slipped by multiple rounds. The season-long value remains fine, but fantasy managers heading into their playoff matchups will need more moving forward. |
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Donovan Mitchell Donovan Mitchell records four triples, 25 points
Wed, Mar 11, 2026, 4:25 PM
Donovan Mitchell finished Wednesday's loss to the Magic with 25 points (9-of-24 FGs, 3-of-3 FTs), five rebounds, five assists, one steal and four three-pointers.
Analysis: After shooting 4-of-11 from the field in Monday's win over the 76ers, Mitchell was made to work hard for his offense on Wednesday. While he finished with 25 points, the seven-time All-Star needed 24 attempts to do it. The rebounds and assists will be useful to fantasy managers, but they were likely hoping to get a more efficient version of Mitchell. |
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James Harden James Harden leads Cavaliers with 30 points
Wed, Mar 11, 2026, 4:24 PM
James Harden tallied 30 points (11-of-16 FGs, 3-of-5 FTs), six rebounds, eight assists and five three-pointers in Wednesday's loss to the Magic.
Analysis: Harden was excellent in a losing effort on Wednesday, recording his first 30-point game since being traded to Cleveland. He didn't record any defensive stats, but most fantasy managers don't look to The Beard for consistent production in steals or blocked shots. The Cavaliers end their week with two games against the Mavericks, which could be good news for those who have Harden on their rosters. |
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