CLEVELAND — The Cavaliers had virtually nothing to gain in their regular-season finale Sunday, April 12, against the Washington Wizards but still came away with a 130-117 win.
The Cavs rested most of their key players with an eye toward the first round of the NBA playoffs. The Cavs have secured the fourth seed in the Eastern Conference and will face the Toronto Raptors in Round 1. Cleveland’s game against Washington had no bearing on which first-round opponent it will encounter. Around 8:45 p.m., the Cavs found out the Raptors had clinched the fifth seed.
Game 1 is set for 1 p.m. Saturday, April 18, in Cleveland.
Here’s how Cavs (52-30) versus Wizards (17-65) unfolded through our updates:
Cavs to face Toronto Raptors in NBA playoffs
After the Cavs completed their game, the Raptors secured the No. 5 seed, setting up a Cleveland-Toronto first-round matchup.
Cavs beat the Wizards 130-117
The Cavs have defeated the Wizards 130-117 and finished the regular season with a 52-30 record.
Tyrese Proctor had a great game, finishing just short of a triple-double with 22 points, 11 rebounds and eight assists. Nae’Qwan Tomlin had 26 points, eight rebounds and five assists. Jaylon Tyson added 18 points, six rebounds and three assists.
Olivier Sarr, Cavs beating Wizards late
Before the game, Kenny Atkinson noted how Olivier Sarr was one of the players the Cavs have brought in he couldn’t believe they weren’t in a rotation for some other lineup around the league. He’s looked good tonight with nine points, five rebounds and a block, and the Cavs lead the Wizards 120-111 with 4:30 left.
Cavs lead Wizards in fourth quarter
Tyrese Proctor and Riley Minix have both had quality starts to the quarter, and the Cavs now lead the Wizards 115-106 with 7:06 to go.
Proctor is up to 17 points, eight rebounds and eight assists tonight. Minix is up to 12 points on 5-for-6 shooting from the floor.
Cleveland Cavaliers lead Washington Wizards 99-95 at end of third quarter of regular-season finale
The Cavs led the Wizards 99-95 at the end of the third quarter.
Cavs forward Nae’Qwan Tomlin had 20 points, four assists and four rebounds through three quarters. Wing Jaylon Tyson had 18 points for Cleveland.
Cavs small forward Max Strus did not play in the third quarter, indicating he is done for the night after scoring 10 points in 18 first-half minutes. Strus is expected to be a part of the Cavs’ playoff rotation. Why did he play at all against the Wizards? He’s still working his way back into form after undergoing offseason foot surgery. This is his 12th game this season.
Forward Jamir Watkins and guard Bub Carrington led the Wizards with 17 points apiece entering the fourth quarter.
Wizards cut Cavs’ lead to 76-71
The Wizards ended the first half with a rally and started the second half by outscoring the Cavs 16-11 to begin the third quarter.
The Cavs led 76-71 with 6:43 remaining in the third quarter.
Cavs lead Wizards 65-55 at halftime
The Cavs felt the wrath of Bub Carrington late in the second quarter. The Wizards guard scored the last 11 points of the first half with four jump shots, including two for 3-pointers, and a foul shot. The Cavs led 65-55 at halftime after the run produced by Carrington.
Carrington had 12 points at halftime, a scoring total matched by Wizards forward Jamir Watkins.
Wing Jaylon Tyson (14 points), forward Nae’Qwan Tomlin (13 points) and wing Max Strus (10 points) paced the Cavs in the first half.
Cleveland Cavaliers lead Washington Wizards 62-43 with 2:50 left in second quarter
The Cavs led the Wizards 62-43 during a timeout with 2:50 remaining in the second quarter.
Cavs forward Nae’Qwan Tomlin has made 2-of-3 3-pointers for six points in the second quarter. Tomlin has 11 points thus far.
The Cavs have been outscored 22-19 in the second quarter after crushing the Wizards 43-21 in the first quarter.
Cavs lead Wizards 49-27 with 8:11 left in the second quarter
The Cavs led the Wizards 49-27 with 8:11 remaining in the second quarter.
Two members of the Cavs’ likely playoff rotation who are actually logging minutes in this game are wings Jaylon Tyson and Max Strus. At this juncture, Tyson and Strus led the Cavs with 13 and 10 points, respectively.
Cavs lead Wizards by 22 after one quarter
The Cavs are easily crushing the Wizards, who seem intent on racing to the offseason. Cleveland leads 43-21 at the end of the first quarter.
Jaylon Tyson has a game-high 11 points. Tyrese Proctor had a strong quarter with six points, four rebounds and three assists.
Cleveland’s 43 points were its most in a first quarter this season.
Cavaliers torching Wizards
The Cavs are playing the end of their roster today. They’re also basically scoring at will against the Wizards, and Cleveland leads 41-18 with 1:36 to go in the first quarter.
Jaylon Tyson has nine points while hitting three of his four 3-point attempts thus far. Olivier Sarr had a nice stretch with back-to-back baskets and has four points. Max Strus has eight points and four rebounds.
Cavs, Wizards score
The Cavs opened on 7-0 run and lead 13-8 with 6:49 left in the first quarter.
Larry Nance Jr., who got the start today, has four points and two rebounds in the early going.
Below is some pregame information.
Cavaliers injury report vs. Wizards
The Cavs have ruled out the following players against the Wizards: center Jarrett Allen (right knee injury maintenance), center Thomas Bryant (left calf strain), guard Keon Ellis (left knee contusion), point guard James Harden (rest), guard Sam Merrill (left hamstring injury maintenance), guard Donovan Mitchell (right ankle injury maintenance), forward Evan Mobley (left calf injury maintenance), point guard Dennis Schroder (rest) and forward Dean Wade (right ankle injury maintenance).
Cavs coach Kenny Atkinson said during his pregame media availability Bryant is the only player on Cleveland’s roster who might miss the start of the playoffs due to injury. “To be determined with him,” Atkinson said.
Washington Wizards injury report vs. Cleveland Cavaliers
The Wizards ruled out the following players against the Cavs: guard/forward Bilal Coulibaly (right retrocalcaneal bursitis), center Anthony Davis (left finger sprain), forward Kyshawn George (left elbow sprain), guard Tre Johnson (right foot sprain; low back strain), guard D’Angelo Russell (not with team), center Alex Sarr (left big toe capsulitis), center Tristan Vukcevic (right knee contusion), guard/forward Cam Whitmore (right shoulder deep vein thrombosis) and guard Trae Young (low back pain; right quad contusion).
The Wizards listed forward Anthony Gill (cervical/lumbar contusion; post-traumatic headache) as available to face the Cavs.
Cleveland Cavaliers will honor Cavs legend Jim Chones
Here is a news release from the Cavs:
The Cleveland Cavaliers will honor and congratulate Jim Chones for his 26 years as a team broadcaster during his final regular season call on April 12 at Rocket Arena versus the Washington Wizards. After the postseason, he will transition into a new role featuring appearances on Cavs Audio Verse and Rock Entertainment Sports Network (RESN), while remaining active in the community through the Cavaliers Legends program.
A former standout player, Chones spent five seasons with Cleveland, including the 1975–76 “Miracle of Richfield” team, and ranks seventh in franchise history in blocks (450) and ninth in rebounds (3,790). He won an NBA championship with the Lakers in 1980, and his No. 22 jersey was retired by Marquette in 2025.
He was inducted into the Cavaliers Wall of Honor in 2024, a program established during the team’s 50th season to permanently recognize individuals who have made a distinguished and pivotal impact on Cavaliers history.
Cleveland Cavs starters vs. Wizards
The Cavs announced they will start the following players against the Wizards:
This is the 41st different starting lineup for Cleveland this season.
Wizards starters vs. Cavs
The Wizards announced they will start the following players:
Cavs game on TV today. How can I watch, stream or listen to Cavaliers vs. Wizards?
The April 12 game between the Cavs and Wizards will be televised locally by FanDuel Sports Network — Ohio. The local radio broadcast can be heard via WTAM (1100-AM) or WMMS (100.7-FM).
Cavs schedule. When do playoffs start NBA?
The top six teams in each of the NBA’s two conferences at the end of regular season automatically qualify for the playoffs. The teams placing seventh through 10th compete in the Play-In Tournament for the final two playoff seeds.
The Play-In Tournament is slated to run from April 14-17. The playoffs are slated to begin April 18.
The Cavs will hold Game 1 of their first-round series April 18 at Rocket Arena.
The Akron Beacon Journal sports department can be contacted via email at bjsports@thebeaconjournal.com.
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Cavs score, recap vs Wizards as Cleveland finishes season with a win
Reporting by Nate Ulrich and Ryan Lewis, Akron Beacon Journal / Akron Beacon Journal
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
