Isaac Okoro could miss the Cavs vs. Hornets game on Saturday

Isaac Okoro could miss the Cavs vs. Hornets game on Saturday

The Cleveland Cavaliers could be without one of their starters on Saturday afternoon when they take on the Charlotte Hornets at 1 p.m. Isaac Okoro is listed as questionable on the injury report with a bruised left knee. It was the same injury that caused him to miss the second half of Thursday’s game against the Denver Nuggets.

Head coach Kenny Atkinson wasn’t too worried about Okoro’s injury after Thursday’s win.

“He told me it wasn’t anything major,” Atkinson said of Okoro’s injury. “I think everything will be fine.”

Dean Wade replaced Okoro when the starting unit took the floor in the second half against Denver. If Okoro can’t leave, Wade would probably step back into that role. The Cavs have won with depth all season, and they’ll try that again on Saturday and Sunday.

“I felt like we wore them down with our depth,” Atkinson said of the win over the Nuggets. “Isaac goes out and says, ‘Okay, throw Dean Wade in there.’ And you know, we just have incredible depth. We got a great balance. I thought our Core Four was really phenomenal tonight. We have a really complete team, from one to 18. It’s a pleasure to coach such a group.”

It doesn’t look like Okoro will be out for long if he misses Saturday’s game. This season, he averaged 6 points and 2.3 rebounds with a shooting percentage of .479/.463/.647 in 21 games. Earlier this season, he missed two games with a left ankle injury.

Craig Porter Jr. will not be available on Saturday due to illness. Max Strus and Emoni Bates also remain out.

The Hornets will be without their best player, LaMelo Ball, who is out with a left calf strain.

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