By Shams Charania, Joe Vardon and Jason Lloyd
Cleveland Cavaliers go forward Evan Mobley is likely headed for another extended injury absence, this time from a sprained left ankle suffered in an improbable Tuesday win over the Boston Celticsmultiple league sources said Athleticism.
Mobley must wait until the significant swelling subsides for an official timeline, but one source said “it will take a while” and another said he “will be out for a while.”
Mobley was injured on a successful dunk with 5:29 left in the third quarter of the Cavs’ 105-104 victory over the Celtics, in which they overcame a 22-point fourth-quarter deficit . Mobley’s teammate, Sam Merrill, fouled after Mobley turned his ankle so the Cavs could take him out of the game, and he was taken back to the locker room. Mobley left Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse on crutches and was ruled out of the team’s game Wednesday night in Atlanta.
Mobley, an All-NBA defender who is averaging 15.6 points and 10.2 rebounds this season, missed six weeks between mid-December and late January due to minor knee surgery. His replacement during Tuesday’s victory, Dean Wadescored 20 of his 23 points in Cleveland’s furious fourth-quarter comeback.
The Cavs are also playing without starters Donovan Mitchell (left knee) and Max Strus (right knee) this week, who, along with Mobley, make up three-fifths of their usual starting lineup.
Cleveland enters tonight’s game a half-game behind Milwaukee for second place in the East.
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(Photo: Ken Blaze / USA Today)
