Inside The Spurs

New Starting Lineup in Spurs vs Cavaliers Game

The Cleveland Cavaliers have announced a new-look starting lineup against the San Antonio Spurs

Matt Guzman

Mar 23, 2025; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell (45) reacts to a call against the Utah Jazz at Delta Center. Mandatory Credit: Peter Creveling-Imagn Images
Mar 23, 2025; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell (45) reacts to a call against the Utah Jazz at Delta Center. Mandatory Credit: Peter Creveling-Imagn Images / Peter Creveling-Imagn Images
In this story:

SAN ANTONIO — Once again, Dean Wade has earned a spot in the starting lineup in place of an injured Cleveland Cavalier.

Thursday night's matchup between the Cavaliers and San Antonio Spurs features no shortage of injured players.

Between Victor Wembanyama, who remains sidelined with deep vein thrombosis in his right shoulder; De'Aaron Fox, who recently underwent surgery in Los Angeles to repair ligament damage in his left pinkie; Charles Bassey, whose left knee bone bruise has kept him out a month; Ty Jerome, one of the NBA's top candidates for Sixth Man of the Year and standout center Evan Mobley, both teams are ailing.

As a result, Wade gets the start next to Darius Garland, Donovan Mitchell, Max Strus, and Jarrett Allen, marking Cleveland's 21st unique starting lineup of the season.

The full availability report for the Cavaliers is as follows:

  • Emoni Bates – OUT (G League - Two-Way)
  • Ty Jerome – OUT (Left Knee; Soreness)
  • Evan Mobley – OUT (Rest)
  • Nae'Qwan Tomlin – OUT (G League - Two-Way)
  • Luke Travers – OUT (G League - Two-Way)
  • Jaylon Tyson – OUT (Left Knee; Bone Bruise)

Mobley's absence will certainly help mitigate the Spurs' size problems, but even then, facing the Eastern Conference's No. 1 seed on the road is seldom a simple task.

Seems like San Antonio has its work cut out for it.

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Matt Guzman
MATT GUZMAN

Matt Guzman is a sports journalist and storyteller from Austin, Texas. He serves as a credentialed reporter and site manager for San Antonio Spurs On SI and a staff writer for multiple collegiate sites in the same network. In the world of professional sports, he is a firm believer that athletes are people, too, and intends to tell stories of players and teams’ true, behind-the-scenes character that otherwise would not be seen through strong narrative writing, hooking ledes and passionate words.

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