What many expected to happen for the Cleveland Cavaliers in these playoffs is becoming reality: they’re a regular-season team with a low playoff ceiling. Unfortunately, the spiralling of the Cavs hasn’t necessarily been due to poor play or underperformance (minus Game 4). Cleveland has dealt with injuries to key players since Game 1, and the latest injury news regarding Donovan Mitchell is causing concern. The Cavs are down 3-1 to the Indiana Pacers, and a comeback is already bleak. That said, Mitchell’s injury deepens the bleakness, especially if he’s unable to return.
Cavaliers Injury News Brings Uncertainty for Donovan Mitchell
Donovan Mitchell to undergo MRI in latest injury news; availability for Game 5 uncertain
Mitchell has been on fire in the second-round series against the Pacers. He’s scored 136 points through four games, surpassing 40 in Games 2 and 3. Whatever becomes of Cleveland in this series, which is beginning to look like a second-round exit, you can’t say Mitchell didn’t step up. The bad news is his ankle, which he injured during the half-time warm-up before he third quarter. During a shoot-around, Mitchell had to be attended to by the training staff before returning to the locker room. He didn’t return to the game, and the Cavaliers, who were already down 41 points at the half, ended up dropping an ever-so-important game after grabbing some momentum on Indiana’s home floor in Game 3.
Cavaliers head coach Kenny Atkinson revealed in the postgame press conference that Mitchell will have an MRI on Monday to further evaluate his ankle. Mitchell’s injury, coupled with the dreadful game, didn’t have Atkinson in the best of moods, and he spoke about it exasperatingly.
“Complete domination by them, it’s kind of the story, kind of in every facet. It wasn’t like, oh you know, tactics or anything involved. They dominated us in every facet of the game and that’s what gets a 20 point game or really a 30 point game.”
Another early playoff exit seems inevitable
No one can argue the Cavaliers put together a phenomenal regular season featuring 64 wins, four shy of the Oklahoma City Thunder‘s 68. The Cavs dominated from day one and eventually swept the Miami Heat in round one. Shockingly, Indiana is up 3-1, but injuries have played a role. Darius Garland missed the first two matchups, Evan Mobley and De’Andre Hunter both missed Game 2, and now Mitchell’s availability is in question.
When the series turned to Indiana, Cleveland got themselves back into the series with an away win, and it appeared to inject some life into them. That momentum came to a crashing halt after Game 4, though, and it might be the end for Cleveland in these playoffs after very high championship aspirations. If Indiana finishes the job on Wednesday, it would mark another early playoff exit for the Cavaliers. Since Mitchell joined the franchise, Cleveland has failed to advance past the first round. Now, he might be unable to return to help the Cavs get back in this series, making the 64-win season just another incomplete accomplishment.
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