Arguably one of the most promising teams in the league and blessed with a young core, the Cleveland Cavaliers just can’t seem to catch a break. Yet another blow to the team, Evan Mobley has now been excluded for an extended period after an ankle injury.
Evan Mobley’s ankle injury a problem for the Cavs
If you attended Tuesday’s epic game between the Cleveland Cavaliers and Boston Celtics, you saw the Cavs launch a 22-point comeback in the fourth quarter to secure the W. Unfortunately, the victory came at a high price as a star striker Evan Movley injured his ankle after a dunk with 5:29 left in the third quarter. Clearly in pain after what appeared to be a serious twist, Mobley was initially unable to leave the field, leading to Sam Merrill commit a mistake. Mobley was later replaced by Caris LeVert and taken to the locker room by the coaches. He was seen on crutches after the match ended. To be clear, the
Mobley’s injury is another issue the Cavs could do without. The worst part is that this isn’t the first time he’s suffered lately. Earlier this season he was forced to sit out six weeks after undergoing knee surgery late last year. He now joins his departing colleagues Donovan Mitchell (left knee) and Max Strus (right knee), both of whom have been on the injured list for quite some time. Regarding what the Cavs lost to Evan Mobley, it’s worth noting that the big man averaged 15.6 points, 10.2 rebounds and 1.6 blocks per game while shooting 57.8 percent from the field. With the exception of his blocks, all of those numbers are career highs. Suffice to say that his injury will hurt the Cavs. To be clear, the Cavs have given no clear timetable for Mobley’s return, but the team has indicated he will be re-evaluated in a week.
Ironically, the team may not be as bad off as one might think. Consider for a moment that the team’s best run this season occurred when Mobley (and Darius Garland) came off the bench. Indeed, this led to the Cavs relying more on shooting rather than working in the paint, which saw them defeat the Celtics on Tuesday night. In any case, what is certain is that with people like Dean Wade, Isaac Okoro, And Jarrett Allen, there is a cover. The question now is whether that will be enough to maintain the fight for the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference. Right now, that spot belongs to the Milwaukee Bucks who have a half-game lead. With Mitchell and Strus expected to return in the near future, all is not lost but rest assured, Mobley’s injury is not ideal.
