USA TODAY Sports
The Cleveland Cavaliers will be without Donovan Mitchell for at least a week as he underwent surgery to repair a nasal fracture. Mitchell missed the Cavs game against the Indiana Pacers due to the injury and will now be sidelined a bit longer as he recovers.
Mitchell recently returned from a seven-game absence after receiving a PRP injection in his knee to help with a bone bruise. He then played in two games but will now head back on the injured list for a week. It’s not great timing, as the Cavaliers are in the thick of a congested playoff race. They sit just a game behind the Milwaukee Bucks for the No. 2 spot but only two games ahead of the New York Knicks, who are right behind at No. 4.
Mitchell is the centerpiece of Cleveland’s offense, and without him, they just aren’t as dominant. Prior to Monday’s game, the Cavs went 3-6 in the past nine games Mitchell missed, which isn’t entirely surprising given all he does on offense for them. He leads the team in points and assists, as the Cavaliers score 3.9 points more when he’s on the floor than when he sits.
If there’s a silver lining to be had in this otherwise unfortunate news, it’s that with the week away from games it will allow Mitchell to rest up before the playoffs start. He’s missed time here and there over the course of the season and, most recently, that chunk of games because of his knee, so this time away while his nose heals could be a positive. The Cavaliers have done enough to secure a top-6 spot in the East playoffs, so right now, the focus should turn to preparing for the postseason. When healthy, we’ve seen this Cleveland team tear through the league, highlighted by a 17-1 run from January to February.
They’ve sputtered a bit over the past month, but perhaps this break in action for Mitchell will help Cleveland in the long run ahead of what could be a deep playoff run.
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