Cleveland Cavaliers’ All-Star guard Donovan Mitchell is on track to return for the team’s playoff run, despite missing the last four games of the regular season due to a sprained left ankle. Mitchell leads the Cavaliers in scoring, putting up 24 points per game. He suffered the injury on April 6 late in the second half of a game against the Sacramento Kings.
The Cavaliers not only claimed the No. 1 overall seed in the Eastern Conference, marking their first No. 1 seed since their title run in 2016. In their final regular-season game against the Indiana Pacers, they decided to rest Mitchell and eight other players, four of which were starters. Ultimately we made this decision with the long-term health and readiness of our players in mind as they approach the playoff season.
Mitchell has been proactive in his recovery. He participated in a full workout at the team’s training facility on Saturday and engaged in shooting drills before Sunday’s game. His coach at the time, Kenny Atkinson, said he had great confidence in Mitchell’s development.
“I think he’ll be full on with practice. We’re going to have to scrimmage at some point, probably intersquad with refs, so he’ll participate in that,” – coach Kenny Atkinson
As the only player in the NBA averaging at least 24 points within 32 minutes or fewer, Mitchell’s presence is crucial for Cleveland. The Cavaliers are, of course, counted among them, as they enjoy the long layoff from their game on April 20. They’ll learn their opponent as the East’s eighth seed after the final play-in tournament games conclude.
The team’s playoff fortunes would be significantly greater with Mitchell anchoring the lineup, as the team hopes for a deep postseason run. His ability to score efficiently and his experience as an All-Star will be critical as Cleveland aims to make a deep playoff run.
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