According to sources, Darius Garland and Donovan Mitchell sustained injuries during Wednesday’s victory over Boston, keeping them both out of the Cavaliers’ star backcourt for Friday’s game in Detroit. Even though neither injury is believed to be serious, they must surely be sidelined tonight.
Both players had previously been listed as questionable, as Fedor details in another article for Cleveland.com. While Mitchell sustained a sprained left ankle, Garland injured his left knee while attempting to chase down a loose ball during the Celtics game. Garland and Mitchell took part in the shootaround on Friday, with Garland icing his knee afterward.
In order to make up for the absence of the two All-Star guards, Caris LeVert will switch to point guard, Isaac Okoro to shooting guard, and Dean Wade to small forward, according to Fedor. Raul Neto, a backup point guard who was signed as a free agent over the summer, will be ready on Friday. He will return after missing the game on Wednesday due to his own sprained ankle.
The Cavaliers have officially announced that Garland and Mitchell would not be playing
Garland, who had missed five straight games after sustaining a lacerated eyelid in the season opener, is sorry to see this turn of events. The Athletic’s Kelsey Russo has the story on Garland’s eye injury and recuperation procedure, stating that the 22-year-old primarily worked on his left hand during the two weeks he was out due to visual issues when attempting to dribble with his right hand.
“Yeah, I was super scared,” Garland admitted. “When it first happened, I rolled over, I felt blood coming out of my eye. So that’s when I got really nervous. And I was ready for surgery in Toronto. I was expecting that. I was expecting stitches and being out a couple of months. But by the grace of God, I’m here with two eyes now and I’m back and I’m healthy.”
According to Jason Lloyd of The Athletic, Garland and Mitchell appeared to be a natural team during their first full regular season game. In the 114-113 overtime victory, the two guards combined for 55 points, 11 rebounds, 18 assists, four steals, two blocks, and just one turnover.
The road trip to the Detroit Pistons on Friday will be followed by four games against the Lakers, Clippers, Kings, and Warriors on the west coast. With a record of 6-1 right now, the Cavaliers are off to a great start.
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