Cavaliers star Donovan Mitchell didn’t play after halftime in Sunday’s blowout loss to the Pacers due to a left ankle injury. As Jamal Collier of ESPN writes, Mitchell was listed as doubtful to return, and with Cleveland facing a staggering 41-point deficit at the half, there was little urgency to get him back out there in the third or fourth quarter.
According to Collier, Mitchell felt discomfort in his left ankle when he came back out on the court to warm up ahead of the third quarter. The six-time All-Star stopped in the middle of a shot attempt and the Cavs’ training staff came on the court to check out the injury before he returned to the locker room.
Head coach Kenny Atkinson told reporters after the game that Mitchell will undergo an MRI on Monday to assess the severity of his left ankle issue (Twitter link via Scott Agness of Fieldhouse Files).
It’s a bleak development for the Cavaliers, who entered Sunday’s game with a clean injury report and were looking to even the series at two games apiece before heading back to Cleveland for Game 5. Instead, the Pacers dominated the game from start to finish, ultimately winning by a score of 129-109 to take a 3-1 series lead.
The status of Mitchell, who was already playing through a calf issue, will be of paramount importance for Cleveland ahead of Tuesday’s Game 5. He had led the Cavaliers with an eye-popping 41.3 points per night through the first three games of the series. He was also contributing 6.3 rebounds, 6.0 assists, and 2.0 steals per contest and was a +29 in his 107 total minutes entering Sunday’s game.
No team is ever winning a championship with Mitchell as their number one option and leader.
You could say that for 80% of the 450+ players in the NBA, in any given season there’s only about 15 players that win a championship. There’s no particular reason for anyone to say that about Donovan Mitchell. He’s had big games and willed his team to win, he’s toughed it out and played through injury and he’s had bad games just like any other star in the league. The only reason you do is because you believe it makes you sound profound and you’d never own it if he did.
Mitchell is just 28 years old. Man, Lebron’s genetic properties must not have been from earth, because comparing him to these so-called superstars at this primed age, he is way, way more durable!😀
Yes, and I love the drive-by comments with no substance. They don’t bother telling us why they think that or give support to their outrageous claim.
THE ORACLE HAS SPOKEN.
Cavs can win a championship if mitch is their #1 he’s just not good enough to carry a team solo. Like all other teams it depends on who else do you have
Agree 100% he’s got plenty to offer, just a bit undersized and too much of a ‘volume shooter’ to carry night-in-night-out.
I really thought the two bigs and Garland would have so much more to offer and have more impact. The bench just didn’t show up either needs to be said.
Perhaps Indiana that bad of a matchup after all :(
1st of all, this series should be tied up at 2 games apiece if the refs hadn’t blown the end of game 2… so it doesn’t matter if the Pacers won game 4 by 80 pts.
But more importantly, if we’re finger pointing, then how do the 3 who sat in street clothes for game 2 escape criticism?! It’s a playoff game and that means all hands on deck. The Cavs took the Pacers too lightly and now their backs are against the wall.
Their top scoring option is playing hurt.
Their #2 scoring option is hurt.
Their defensive anchor and current DPOY is hurt.
Their top bench scorer is hurt.
But tell me about how it’s all about Donovan Mitchell..
Its true. If Mitchell is your BEST player (as good as he is), you’re not winning a championship.
You can win games, sure, but you’re not winning a championship.
Morant
Trae Young
Ball
Zion
Joel
Are you saying guys that get hurt often can’t win championships?
@Gary
You know I wasn’t saying that! Haha
I mean, if you want to go there, it’s a short list of perennial IR guys that stack championships.
But, Ive read enough of your comments to know know that YOU know that’s not what I meant by my comment.
Simply put, there are, indeed, certain great players out there who, if they are the best player on their team, their team won’t win a championship.
My comment spoke it as I meant it to.
No, no that’s why it was a question !! You and I are good. Straight shooters.
But it seems like all those guys get hurt often so that’s why I asked lol.
OK, so I agree yeah certain guys if they’re the best players on their team they ain’t winning at all. OK, I get it now.
He definitely wants out…
Cleveland is good enough to win regular season games but their weaknesses are glaring in the playoffs. The number one seed means nothing at playoff time. They are nowhere near the quality a team as Knicks Celtics or Pacers. Surprised they even won a game
Mitchell is not CLE’s problem. That’s the lack of a strong second option that complements him. Garland could be an excellent second option on alot of teams, but not on a team having Mitchell as the first. For this team, as configured, that player has to be Mobley. His ascension to a top offensive option was always the key to CLE going from a top 5-10 team to legitimate championship contender. It appeared to be happening for most of the regular season, but it hasn’t aged well into the playoffs. It’s not on Mitchell, he appears to be trying every avenue he can think of to avoid hero ball.
What a disaster. It wasn’t that long ago that people were talking about a 70 win season.
The amount of people playing Monday morning quarterback and pretending injuries aren’t the biggest problem for the Cavs is wild.
Injuries aren’t the biggest problem. The inability to put the ball in the basket is their biggest problem