76ers Rival Report: Cavaliers Will Get Notable Boost This Week

The Cleveland Cavaliers are getting healthier. After an impressive 26-16 start to the 2022-2023 NBA season, the Cavaliers anticipate getting their key veteran Ricky Rubio back in the mix.

According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, Rubio has been cleared for action and is targeting a return as soon as Thursday night.

When the Cavaliers partake in practice on Wednesday, Rubio will be a full participant. Barring any setbacks, the veteran guard is expected to make his return to the lineup on Thursday night when the Cavaliers take on the Portland Trail Blazers.

Last season, Rubio joined the Cavaliers for the first time and appeared in 34 games, coming off the bench for all but eight matchups. During that time, Rubio averaged 13 points and seven assists while draining 34 percent of his threes.

As a key veteran on a young and overachieving Cavaliers squad, Rubio was highly valued in Cleveland for his first season there. Unfortunately, a torn ACL took him off the court for the remainder of the 2021-2022 season.

When the Cavaliers approached the trade deadline last year, they added Rubio in a trade to the Indiana Pacers. As expected, Rubio never played for the Pacers as he spent the remainder of the season rehabbing.

When his contract was up, Rubio entered the free agency market and inked a three-year deal with the Cavaliers. With the Cavaliers adding more star power in the offseason, bringing back Rubio was a win-now move for the Philadelphia 76ers’ Eastern Conference rivals.

So far this season, the Cavaliers have done well for themselves. At this point in the year, they are 26-16, sitting in the Eastern Conference’s fifth seed. They trail the Sixers, Milwaukee Bucks, Brooklyn Nets, and Boston Celtics.

While Rubio will need time to re-adjust and get back into optimal shape, his presence is expected to make the Cavaliers stronger, which is something to watch for teams in the East.

This season, the Sixers and the Cavaliers battled it out just once. In a late November matchup where the Sixers paid a visit to Cleveland, the Sixers were dominated 113-85. It’s necessary to note the Sixers missed Tyrese Maxey and James Harden at the time.

Philadelphia has yet to face the Cavaliers with Rubio available. Over 15 games against the Sixers, Rubio has averaged 11 points, seven assists, and four rebounds during stints with the Minnesota Timberwolves, Utah Jazz, and Phoenix Suns.

The next time Rubio could face the 76ers would be on February 15, when the Cavaliers pay a visit to South Philly for the second outing between the two teams this season.

Justin Grasso covers the Philadelphia 76ers for All76ers, a Sports Illustrated channel. You can follow him for live updates on Twitter: @JGrasso_.