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Cavs must save Donovan Mitchell for playoffs, from himself if ankle is any bother | Ulrich
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- Cavs must save Donovan Mitchell for playoffs, from himself if ankle is any bother | Ulrich
CLEVELAND — If Donovan Mitchell is feeling a mere twinge in his left ankle by Tuesday, it'll be time for the Cavaliers to carefully place the All-Star guard in bubble wrap and say, "We'll just need to clinch the No. 1 seed without you. See you in the playoffs ."
The message Cavs coach Kenny Atkinson has been reiterating since September about postseason health being the organization's main priority came to the forefront in the third quarter of Sunday's 120-113 loss to the Sacramento Kings at Rocket Arena.
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As Mitchell ran to the defensive end of the floor after making a layup, he suffered a left ankle injury when he stepped on the foot of Kings guard Keon Ellis . Mitchell crumpled to the floor on the sideline and later limped to the locker room, accompanied by medical personnel, with 9:54 remaining in the third quarter. An entire franchise and fan base had to be relieved when he returned to the action with 3:02 left in the third quarter.
The Cavs struggled with late-game execution for their second consecutive outing (it also happened Friday in a 114-113 win at San Antonio ).
By falling to the Kings, the Cavs failed to secure the top seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs and ensured they can't break the team record for wins in a regular season ( 66 by the 2008-09 Cavaliers ).
But with Mitchell hurt, everything else is a footnote.
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Donovan Mitchell news: Cavs star's strategic sacrifice is paying off for the Cleveland Cavaliers
Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell reacts after a second-half play against the Kings, April 6, 2025, in Cleveland.
Cavs guard Donovan Mitchell injury news: Cleveland Cavaliers star finishes game after leaving in third quarter with ankle injury
A positive sign is Mitchell finished the game. He scored 19 points on 7-of-16 shooting from the field (1 of 6 on 3-pointers) and tallied seven rebounds, six assists and two steals in 33 minutes.
How Mitchell's ankle holds up in the next few days, though, is what matters most. He conceded the injury could worsen if he pushes it too much.
So attention, Cavs: Don't let him push it.
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"I mean, yeah. I mean, like I said, we'll let tomorrow be tomorrow," Mitchell said. "We're all not going to sit here and assess the future until we figure out what's ahead. So right now, obviously, I'm going to be smart, but figure out when it gets to it and be ready."
Being ready in two weeks should be the goal.
The Cavs (62-16) can clinch the No. 1 seed Tuesday night, with a home win over the Chicago Bulls or a Boston Celtics loss at the New York Knicks . As long as the Cavs win one of their four remaining regular-season games, they'll hold off the second-place Celtics (58-20) and grab the East's top seed.
Meanwhile, the Cavs may need to overrule Mitchell and shut him down for the greater good of the team. To a substantial degree, Cleveland's title hopes hinge on Mitchell performing at a superstar level in the playoffs.
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"I want to get the one seed and go from there," Mitchell said. "... If I'm able to go, I'm able to go, and, obviously, [I was] a little hobbled after the first adrenaline rush, probably the first, I don't know, five to 10 minutes [after I returned to the game]. But I'm trying to win. I'm trying to win, trying to help my team win any way possible."
Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell drives to the basket against Kings guard Malik Monk during the second half, April 6, 2025, in Cleveland.
The Cavaliers implemented a plan this season to lower Donovan Mitchell's minutes in an effort to help him reach the playoffs in good health
Mitchell's competitive fire and leadership is admirable, yet the Cavs can't let it — or Mitchell's persistence — cloud their judgment.
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A left knee bone bruise hindered Mitchell throughout the second half of last season. A strained calf on the same leg forced him to miss the final two games of the playoffs while the Cavs were eliminated 4-1 by the eventual NBA champion Celtics in the Eastern Conference semifinals.
Mar 30, 2025; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell (45) smiles after missing a layup during the first half against the Los Angeles Clippers at Rocket Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images
The Cavs reduced Mitchell's minutes this season in an attempt to get him to the playoffs healthy. He embraced the plan and parlayed it into empowering teammates and nurturing their development. Forward Evan Mobley and point guard Darius Garland benefited tremendously from Mitchell's strategic sacrifice en route to All-Star selections.
Mitchell is averaging 24 points in 31.4 minutes this season after averaging 26.6 points in 35.3 minutes last season and 28.3 points in 35.8 minutes two seasons ago.
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During Atkinson's first season at the helm of the Cavs, the coach has been instrumental in carrying out the club's planning surrounding Mitchell.
Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell drives to the basket between Kings guard Keon Ellis and forward Trey Lyles (41) in the second half, April 6, 2025, in Cleveland.
Why Cleveland Cavaliers coach Kenny Atkinson is optimistic about Cavs All-Star guard Donovan Mitchell's ankle injury
For now, it appears the Cavs avoided disaster with Mitchell, their undisputed best player. Still, it's not the time to take unnecessary risks.
"I had a discussion with him," Atkinson said. "I told him, I said, 'Listen, if it's, you know, even 5% where you're a little weak or whatever, or it's bothering you, you gotta tell me, so we can get you out. We got multiple games to try to clinch this thing. Don't have to do it tonight.' And he said it was fine, you know, felt fine.
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"Imagine, you know, ankle's bad — he's out for a couple weeks, right? That could easily happen. I look at [him returning as a] positive, man. He came back and finished, you know, played the whole fourth quarter. So that might be the most positive thing of the night."
Mitchell walked with a limp in the postgame locker room. After a reporter mentioned the limp during a question, Mitchell quipped, "Never been better."
Atkinson explained his optimism about Mitchell's ankle stems from Mitchell finishing the game. He's the only member of the Cavs who played all 12 minutes of the fourth quarter.
Kings forward Domantas Sabonis (11) hugs Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell after the game, April 6, 2025, in Cleveland.
"I said, 'Even if it's a little bit [painful], you gotta tell me,'" Atkinson said. "And he didn't really. But he'll get checked out, and I don't anticipate it being anything, quite honestly."
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Anyone who has ever sprained an ankle knows the severity often becomes apparent the next day.
The Cavs won't have their first playoff game until two more weeks. The NBA Play-In Tournament runs April 15-18, and Cleveland will face one of the four Play-In Tournament teams in the first round.
The Cavs must save Mitchell until the playoffs and from himself, unless his ankle responds overwhelmingly well in the next few days.
Nate Ulrich can be reached at nulrich@thebeaconjournal.com. On Twitter: @ByNateUlrich .
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Cavs must rest Donovan Mitchell until playoffs if ankle is any bother
