Cavaliers big man Evan Mobley, who experienced tightness in his left calf during Monday’s win over Orlando, underwent an MRI on Tuesday and has been diagnosed with a strain, the team announced today (via Twitter).
According to the Cavs, Mobley will begin undergoing treatment and is expected to be sidelined for between one and three weeks.
The injury bug has been a major issue for the Cavaliers this season. Even the relatively healthy players like Mobley, Donovan Mitchell, and second-year standout Jaylon Tyson have missed at least a few games due to injuries, and a few key contributors have been on the shelf for significant chunks of the season.
That group includes star point guard Darius Garland (22 missed games), starting center Jarrett Allen (11), top reserve Sam Merrill (24), and starting small forward Max Strus, who has yet to make his season debut as he recovers from foot surgery.
A one-week absence would only cost Mobley three games, putting him in line to return prior to next Thursday’s trade deadline, whereas a three-week recovery timeline would keep him out until after the All-Star break, costing him at least seven contests.
The Cavaliers have had an up-and-down season but have been on a roll as of late, winning four straight games and six of their past seven. They’ll have to try to keep that streak going without Mobley, the reigning Defensive Player of the Year and their third-leading scorer. Cleveland has a +5.5 net rating with the big man on the court this season and a -1.3 mark when he isn’t playing.