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It has been a season filled with injuries and absences for the Cleveland Cavaliers. Fresh off a victory over the Washington Wizards on Friday night, they received some more unsettling news.
Already without Jarrett Allen, Larry Nance Jr, Max Strus, and Sam Merrill, it turns out that another player is going to be missing additional time.
News broke, per Shams Charania on Saturday night, that star big man Evan Mobley was going to be missing 2-4 weeks with a calf strain.
Mobley is the reigning Defensive Player of the Year, and was in the midst of his best stretch of basketball this season. The injury could carry with it some longterm implications. Especially based on what happened with guys like Tyrese Haliburton after rushing back from a calf injury.
With the Cavs set for a Christmas Day battle with the New York Knicks in 12 days, this all but rules out the All-Star for that contest.
Cavs Without Evan Mobley May Struggle
The hub of the Cleveland Cavaliers defense, Evan Mobley has proven to be incredibly valuable over the past few seasons. He won the DPOY a year ago, and has helped immensely in all areas on that side of the floor.
Mobley has been the type of player that a lot of teams have coveted when looking for bigs. His offensive game has been coming on more of late. And so, the injury news could not come at a worse time.
Jarrett Allen played in all 82 a season ago, but has been out a bit now with a thumb issue. This will be the first time in a long that the two of them will be out simultaneously. More pressure now gets put on Thomas Bryant and Nae’Qwan Tomlin, as the only two healthy big men on the entire roster.
As Darius Garland has limped around, playing the worst ball of his career, it’s led to some struggles for the team. Donovan Mitchell has masked plenty of the team’s deficiencies with his extremely high level of play. But, it has not been enough.
Time to analyze the updated big man rotation in Mobley’s absence.
Short-Handed Cavs Will Have to Learn Fast
The good news in Cleveland, is that their upcoming schedule is a bit favorable. Since the next five games feature all teams with losing records, they will have chances to showcase their best.
The Chicago Bulls, Charlotte Hornets, and New Orleans Pelicans have all struggled to play at a high level. Each team though, has plenty working for them, including some strong play from the front-court guys. Thomas Bryant and Nae’Qwan Tomlin will going against quality talent, and have to be ready to shine.
Tomlin has been incredibly active on the glass and in the second-chance area, something that has been previously missing. Whether starting or coming off the bench, the energy he has brought will have to continue to be there.
As for Bryant, he’s been a starting center in the league before. Coming off a trip to the NBA Finals with the Indiana Pacers last year, his veteran leadership will be more important now than ever,
As Mobley recovers from his calf injury, Cleveland has to make sure not to rush him. And the guys around him will have to rally around the devestating news. At 15-11 and near the play-in, victories will be more important now than ever.
Weathering the storm has to be the goal. Especially as some other players work their way back.
Zach Weiss Zach Weiss is a sports reporter covering the NBA for Heavy. He also hosts a podcast about the Cleveland Cavaliers, “Across the Cavs,” and serves as a sports broadcaster for various institutions in the Greater NYC Area. He wrote for Knup Sports for six years. More about Zach Weiss
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