If it’s Cavaliers news on an off day, it must mean someone is injured. And like the others, this one stings.
Evan Mobley suffered a left calf strain during Monday night’s win over Orlando, the team announced. He is expected to miss one to three weeks while beginning treatment.
Tough timing, too. Mobley had just poured in 20 points and grabbed nine rebounds in the Cavs’ 114-98 win over the Magic on Monday. The Cavs have won four straight — but now they’re back in survival mode.
They are already without Darius Garland (toe), Sam Merrill (wrist), Max Strus (foot, still sidelined all season), and De’Andre Hunter, who has missed the past two games with a knee issue.
In other words, just when things started to stabilize, the rotation takes another hit.
The silver lining? Cleveland has shown it can scrap, defend, and survive with short-handed lineups. The problem is that Mobley is not just another body. He is the defensive backbone, a playmaking big, and a massive part of their identity.
The Cavs have been trending up. Now they will have to prove it was real via a patchworked lineup. Again.
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