Cavs’ Isaac Okoro Latest To Be Bitten By Injury Bug, Out 2-3 Weeks

For the Cavaliers, the hits just keep on coming, and not in a good way.

The latest: Guard/forward Isaac Okoro will miss about two-to-three weeks after suffering a left elbow sprain in Sunday’s win over the Pacers.

Sadly, this is nothing new for the Cavs, who have experienced their fare share of injuries and players entering COVID protocols already. Okoro is actually the second player on the team to suffer an elbow injury already this season, joining standout rookie forward Evan Mobley (who has since returned).

But by comparison, those are just minor injuries. The Cavs already lost guard Collin Sexton to a knee injury after eight games, and then point guard Ricky Rubio for the season to another knee injury last week.

They also underwent a couple of weeks of major players in the health and safety protocol, and point guard Darius Garland and small forward Cedi Osman are still there (though due out at any moment).

Osman will undoubtedly be relied on to fill in for Okoro once he clears protocol. Until then, Cavs coach J.B. Bickerstaff could increase the minutes of the likes of Dylan Windler and Lamar Stevens.

On the bright side, the Cavs (21-16) have been able to fight through it all, stay competitive and currently sit in fifth place in the Eastern Conference. They also just finalized a trade for veteran point guard Rajon Rondo, who is coming from the Lakers.

Fittingly, Rondo just cleared protocol himself.

Okoro suffered the injury while trying to fight through a screen in the second quarter. He exited to the locker room and ever returned. An MRI revealed the extent of the injury.

Okoro, 20, is 6-foot-5 is averaging 9.0 points and 3.6 rebounds in 27 games this season, his second in the NBA. He has improved his shooting percentage from 42 percent as a rookie to 45 percent this year. That includes a slight jump from 29 percent to 32 percent on 3-pointers.