The Cleveland Cavaliers will be shorthanded as they take on the team with the fewest wins in the league — the Indiana Pacers — on Tuesday evening. The team has ruled Donovan Mitchell out of the lineup. His official injury designation is rest.
Mitchell has been one of the healthiest players on the team this season. He’s played in all but three games. They’re 1-2 without Mitchell. Their lone win game was on Nov. 12 against the Miami Heat.
The Cavaliers might be without some of their other rotation players as well. Jarrett Allen (illness) and Dean Wade (knee) are listed as questionable for Tuesday’s game. Larry Nance Jr. (calf) and Max Strus (foot) are still out of the lineup.
Indiana will be without Tyrese Haliburton (calf), Isaiah Jackson (concussion), Bennedict Mathurin (thumb), and Obi Toppin (foot).
It makes sense that the Cavaliers would look to rest Mitchell against a team as bad as the Pacers. That said, the remaining rotation players will need to step up if the Cavs are going to get the win without Mitchell. We’ve seen the Cavaliers lose games like this already this season.