The Cleveland Cavaliers have been a shaky team on the road, but they hope to sweep their upcoming three-game road trip and keep pace in a strong Eastern Conference. That starts tonight, when the Cavaliers head to New York City to play the Knicks under the lights of Madison Square Garden.
To start off strong, the Cavs could really use their superstar guard. Is Donovan Mitchell playing tonight?
Donovan Mitchell injury update (Updated January 24th)
Note: This will be updated closer to tip-off at 7:30 pm ET with the official word on Donovan Mitchell’s injury status.
UPDATE: Donovan Mitchell will play tonight, per Chris Fedor
Let’s cut to the chase: as of 1:30 pm ET, Donovan Mitchell is listed as probable to play. Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com was one of the first to report on the status change:
#Cavs Donovan Mitchell is listed as PROBABLE for tomorrow night’s game here in New York.
— Chris Fedor (@ChrisFedor) January 23, 2023
Donovan Mitchell has missed the last three games for the Cleveland Cavaliers after suffering a groin injury in the Cavs’ win over the New Orleans Pelicans. It’s probable that Mitchell had been dealing with the injury for some time and aggravated it in the third quarter, missing the remainder of the game and the next three.
The Cavaliers went 1-2 in those games and given that the two losses were by one point in Memphis when the late-game offense bogged down, and by six at home to the Golden State Warriors’ backups, having Mitchell healthy and in uniform could have turned both games into wins.
Groin injuries are tricky; Devin Booker of the Phoenix Suns missed time due to a groin injury, came back on Christmas Day and re-aggravated it, and hasn’t played since. The Cavs know that they need Mitchell healthy for the playoffs, and he will only come back if he’s truly healthy.
Thankfully for the Cavaliers, that return appears to be tonight. Mitchell is probable to suit up and play against his hometown team, the team that very nearly traded for him this summer. One of the league’s greatest stars will get to ball out on the league’s biggest stage, Madison Square Garden.
That will also mean a fully healthy rotation for the Cavaliers for the first time all season, making the Cavs that much more dangerous for the playoff push.
We will provide an update here if there is one between now and tip-off. Barring something unexpected, Mitchell is in line to return to the starting lineup and play tonight against the New York Knicks.