Cleveland Cavaliers vs Golden State Warriors Prediction & Match Preview - January 9th, 2022 | NBA Season 2021-22
The Golden State Warriors will host the Cleveland Cavaliers at Chase Center on Sunday in what happens to be the most awaited game of the 2021-22 NBA regular season. The contest will mark the return of Warriors sharpshooter Klay Thompson. He will make his return to action after spending nearly two-and-a-half years on the sidelines with injuries.
Golden State is coming off a 96-101 loss against the Pelicans. They will be hoping to return to winning ways in Thompson's first game back.
The Cavaliers are having a spectacular season, though, and will look to give the Dubs a hard time in this tricky away fixture. They are in a position few expected them to be - sixth in the East with a 22-17 record. Evan Mobley and Co. also have momentum on their side, owing to their 114-101 win over the Trail Blazers in their last game.
Match Details
Fixture: Cleveland Cavaliers vs Golden State Warriors | NBA Season 2021-22.
Date & Time: Sunday, January 9th, 2022; 9:00 PM ET (Monday, January 10th; 7:00 AM).
Venue: Chase Center, San Francisco, CA.
Cleveland Cavaliers Preview
The Cleveland Cavaliers have made a remarkable turnaround in the 2021-22 NBA season. They look like legitimate playoff contenders, owing to their unexpectedly strong start to the season.
However, the Cavaliers have been in shaky form over their last eight games. They have won just thrice in that stretch. A season-ending injury to Ricky Rubio and short-term injuries to several key players has led to the Cavaliers' loss of form.
Nevertheless, they have most of their players available and have also added veteran point guard Rajon Rondo to their roster to compensate for the absence of Rubio.
Safe to say @RajonRondo made a good first impression 😎
17 MIN | 11 PTS | 5 REB | 3 AST | 1 STL
#LetEmKnow https://t.co/WZAlN3keAs
The Cleveland Cavaliers were dominant in their win over the Trail Blazers. Darius Garland and Evan Mobley led the way, scoring 26 and 18 points, respectively, as the Cavs recorded a solid all-round game. They shot 48.7% from the field as a team, including 17 3-point field goals. They will have to be at their best at both ends of the floor again if they are to prevail against the Golden State Warriors.
Key Player - Evan Mobley
Evan Mobley's presence on both ends of the floor has been key to the Cleveland Cavaliers' successful campaign thus far. Mobley faces a stern challenge when the Cavs face the Warriors as he will be up against Draymond Green. The Golden State Warriors forward will use his experience to keep Mobley out of this contest. The Cavs rookie will have to ensure he doesn't let that happen to continue making a difference for his side.
Cleveland Cavaliers Predicted Lineup
G - Darius Garland | G - Lamar Stevens | F - Lauri Markkanen | F - Evan Mobley | C - Jarrett Allen.
Golden State Warriors Preview
The Golden State Warriors will be motivated to record a win against the Cleveland Cavaliers owing to Klay Thompson's anticipated return. It won't come easy, though, as this Cavaliers team does have the potential to cause an upset.
On top of that, the Warriors have lost three of their last five games. They played a full-strength squad against the Mavs but still lost 82-99, producing their worst offensive performance of the campaign. In their previous outing, the Dubs were without Stephen Curry and Draymond Green, as the rest of their players failed to step up again.
Andrew Wiggins scored a team-high 21 points but shot inefficiently from the floor, making only 41% of his field goals. Meanwhile, the Dubs recorded only seven threes, registering yet another dismal night of shooting from the arc.
The Golden State Warriors will have their big-three, comprising Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green, back on the court together for the first time since the 2019 Finals. It will bolster the team's chances of winning against the Cavs, but the role players will also have to contribute if Golden State are to snap their losing run.
Key Player - Draymond Green
Draymond Green's importance to the way the Golden State Warriors play has been highlighted a lot this campaign. Green is on the verge of becoming an All-Star again. He will need to perform like one to help his side get out of the slump they are in right now against the Cleveland Cavaliers. Stephen Curry's recent struggles could see the 32-year-old forward being the primary facilitator on offense.
He will also have to help Klay Thompson settle in as quickly as possible and find all of his other teammates some great looks to make the Golden State Warriors' offense tick again.
Golden State Warriors Predicted Lineup
G - Stephen Curry | G - Klay Thompson | F - Andrew Wiggins | F - Draymond Green | C - Kevon Looney.
Cavaliers vs Warriors Match Prediction
The Cleveland Cavaliers and Golden State Warriors are both in the middle of a slump right now. The Warriors have been the better team overall this season, though. They also have more experience on their side that can help them in their quest to bounce back to winning ways in this contest. That said, the Dubs will likely emerge victorious in this match.
Where to watch Cavaliers vs Warriors
NBA TV will televise the game between the Cleveland Cavaliers and Golden State Warriors nationally. Meanwhile, Bally Sports Ohio and NBC Sports Bay Area will provide local coverage of the match. Fans can also view this contest online via NBA League Pass.