I have to temper my expectations when it comes to Lauri Markkanen‘s outlook for a bit here, as he just returned for the Cleveland Cavaliers from a near-three-week absence because of COVID-19 health and safety protocols.
That sort of absence, and him needing to get his conditioning back will lead to it taking some time to get his shot down again on a game-to-game basis. On the season overall, it’s been an adjustment for Markkanen, who has playing mostly often with three bigs, with Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen in that sense.
Mobley is reportedly progressing in his recovery from a right elbow sprain, but he’ll still be out for a matter of weeks possibly it seems; Allen, meanwhile, returned from a non-COVID-19-related illness on Monday against the Brooklyn Nets. He did his thing in that one, with 20 points and 15 rebounds.
In Markkanen’s case, though, which we were first alluding to, it had been tough sledding for the most part for him prior to going into protocols. That was again understandable, but he was averaging career-lows across the board, and had connected on only 28.0 percent from three in his time with Cleveland thus far.
Now, on a positive note, Markkanen did appear to finding his way some on offense prior to his extended absence, and had put up 16.3 points on 44.7 percent shooting in his last three games before then. He hit 35.0 percent of his threes then, too, and was starting to get it going, as KJG’s Amadou Sow alluded to.
Granted, I know that there could be some rust from him in a handful of games in his return from that absence. That said, with the Cavaliers still banged up, and without Mobley still, and clearly without Collin Sexton for the season from here, the team needs Markkanen to get it rolling again soon, as he had gotten to doing in those three games pre-absence.
And on the plus side, he did have a nice game back versus Brooklyn, which was a solid start.
Cavs: Markkanen did have a nice outing against the Nets on Monday in his first game back.
The Cavs had issues in the second half, and Darius Garland having to leave for some time following an elbow to the face was crushing for the team. The bench didn’t have a great outing against Brooklyn, and Kevin Durant and Patty Mills came up clutch again for the Eastern Conference-leading Nets.
But Markkanen did seem to be very engaged in his return, and while the Cavaliers do need him to get it going more from deep in coming games (he was 3-of-9 from there), he did decently in other areas, and was 5-of-5 from the free throw line.
Overall, Markkanen had a season-high 22 points, eight rebounds and a block on Monday in 31 minutes, with this go-round him essentially playing the 4 mostly, with Mobley still out.
We’ll likely see that continue for him in starting minutes until Evan is back, which is more than fine I’d imagine; it’s his natural position. And he’ll likely have some share of minutes at that de facto spot even when Mobley’s back.
In any case, I get Cleveland needs more consistency out of Markkanen going forward, and they’ll need him to establish more of a rhythm night-in, night-out, given his offseason acquisition via sign-and-trade from the Chicago Bulls and his four-year deal. I acknowledge that element, sure.
Coming off that extended absence from COVID-19/protocols, however, that was encouraging for Markkanen’s outlook.
Granted, with the Cavs’ schedule still being tough for the most part for the next two weeks, the team needs more performances like this one, or at least better efficiency as we get further into the season here from three, from Markkanen.
Hopefully he can really get things going, either way. And for a team still searching to find offense with Mobley out still and Collin Sexton out for the year, they need Markkanen to help ease the burden on guys such as Darius Garland and Ricky Rubio.