6:30pm: The Cavaliers announced (via Twitter) that Mobley will be reevaluated in approximately one week.
3:19pm: Cavaliers big man Evan Mobley is expected to be sidelined for an extended period after spraining his left ankle on Tuesday against the Celtics, league sources tell Shams Charania, Joe Vardon, and Jason Lloyd of The Athletic.
As The Athletic’s reporters note, the Cavs haven’t issued a formal update on Mobley’s status beyond ruling him out for Wednesday’s contest in Atlanta. An official timeline likely won’t be determined until the “significant” swelling of his ankle has subsided, per Charania, Vardon, and Lloyd.
However, one source tells The Athletic that “it will be some time” before Mobley is able to return, while another said he’ll be “out a while.”
Mobley suffered the injury in the third quarter on Tuesday when he landed awkwardly following a made dunk (video link via NBA.com). He reportedly left the arena on crutches after the Cavaliers erased a 22-point deficit and completed a dramatic comeback win over the NBA’s top team.
It’s discouraging news for a third-year big man who already missed a month-and-a-half earlier this season due to a separate injury. Mobley underwent arthroscopic surgery on his left knee and was unavailable for 22 consecutive games in December and January.
In the 38 games he has been played, Mobley has been a key part of Cleveland’s starting lineup, averaging 15.6 points, 10.2 rebounds, and 3.1 assists in 31.1 minutes per night.
With Mobley on the shelf, Jarrett Allen will once again take on more responsibilities in the Cavs’ frontcourt, as he did earlier in the year. Dean Wade, who was a major factor in Tuesday’s comeback with 20 points in the fourth quarter, is another candidate for an increased role.