Concerning Donovan Mitchell Announcement Hurts Cavaliers After Just Overcoming Major Worry

The Cleveland Cavaliers are in a phenomenal run this regular season, sitting on top of the East with 57 wins in their kitty. But the numbers of the last 10 games do not reflect well on them. The Cavaliers have lost four games in a row, something that has not happened to them throughout the season. Cleveland struggled on the floor even against teams they are expected to beat. But they finally got back on track on Sunday against the Utah Jazz, snapping their disappointing four-game skid. Jarrett Allen led the way to a blowout 120-91 win for the Cavaliers. But despite the much-needed breather, the Cavaliers are again in a spot as Donovan Mitchell comes to the spot.

The Cleveland big man Jarrett Allen dropped a team-high 18 points, along with 6 rebounds and 4 assists. However, it wasn’t a one-man show, as his teammate and Cavaliers superstar, Donovan Mitchell, chipped in another 16 points. A convincing win for the Cavaliers, but Mitchell’s double digits weren’t helping, as he was far from his All-Star level form. The worry? He went 5-of-13 from the field and did not even score a single three-pointer throughout the whole matchup. An indication that the 28-year-old shooting guard wasn’t feeling great. Well, just after breaking a four-game losing streak and finally looking like they could build some momentum, worrying news has surfaced for the Cavaliers.

Kenny Atkinson’s men are looking to end their road trip with back-to-back wins. But, unfortunately, they’ll have to do that without their shooting guard, Donovan Mitchell. The Cleveland superstar missed two games against the Nets and Grizzlies in March due to groin soreness, an injury that’s still bothering him. Now again, the Cavaliers have announced that Mitchell will not play against the Trail Blazers on Monday due to injury management. Donovan Mitchell is still working through the issue, and it could be a significant reason he didn’t look his best on the court during this four-game skid. And it wasn’t an off incident as the shooting guard did not reach his usual heights in the five games since he made his return.

Mitchell averaged just 18 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 5.4 assists in the five games. However, the most worrying part wasn’t his averages; it was his poor shooting. The Cavs’ star shot a mere 14.3% from beyond the arc and 30.9% from the field. To put this into perspective, Mitchell has been shooting 36.5% from the three and 44% from the field this season. A drastic decline in his shooting gives the Cavaliers some added worry as the groin soreness continues to bother him. So, with Cleveland possessing a commendable position on the table, it makes sense that they give Donovan Mitchell some rest to get him geared up for the upcoming playoffs. But the Cavs will have to grab a win against Portland to truly erase the bad memories of their recent skid.

Despite missing Donovan Mitchell, Cleveland must win against Portland to overcome a major worry

The Cavaliers have been in a downward spiral ever since Orlando snapped their stellar 16-game winning streak. After a hard-fought 108-103 loss against the Magic, Cleveland started their West Coast trip, and it hasn’t been remotely close to what they would have expected. Mitchell and Co. faced the Clippers first, and the LA based team too blew past them. Similarly, Sacramento and Phoenix also handed the Cavaliers two more defeats, making their West Coast trip even worse.

Jan 3, 2025; Dallas, Texas, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers forward Evan Mobley (4) celebrates with Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell. (45) during the first half against the Dallas Mavericks at American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images.

It wasn’t until Sunday that they finally tasted victory against the Utah Jazz, and even then, they fumbled in the first 2 quarters. But things won’t be easy as the Cavaliers are up against an in-form Portland side. The Trail Blazers have won four of their last five matchups, with the only loss coming recently against the Celtics. Moreover, not having Donovan Mitchell by their side will be a massive blow. When the Cavaliers seem rusty, the Trailblazers are contesting for a play-in spot and are hungry to get wins. So, judging the two based on seed rank is not a wise idea.

With Mitchell out of the picture for this one, the onus will lie on players such as Darius Garland to lead the team’s offense, besides Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley taking up added responsibility in this game. Both of them have been solid this season and will have to emulate their performances to ensure a win against the Trail Blazers. Ready to see them in action?

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