The Cleveland Cavaliers could be extremely shorthanded for Game 2.
Already facing a 1-0 deficit in their second round playoff series against the Indiana Pacers, the Cavs may be without as many as three key players on Tuesday night. Evan Mobley, De'Andre Hunter and Darius Garland are all questionable with a variety of maladies.
Darius Garland has missed three-straight games with a toe injury, one that head coach Kenny Atkinson indicated would be a multiple-week injury during the regular season. Chris Fedor reported on the Wine and Gold Talk Podcast that Garland was going to ramp up in hopes of playing in Game 2, but even if he plays he is unlikely to be at full strength.
He also was not present at shootaround earlier on Tuesday, just as Hunter and Mobley also sat out. Given how involved the thumb is with catching, passing and shooting the basketball, it is very likely Hunter will be unable to go. Stephen Curry of the Golden State Warriors is currently playing through such an injury, however, so it's possible the right kind of wrap could allow him to play through a less severe injury.
The most optimism surrounds Evan Mobley, who has a left ankle sprain. It's not a high ankle sprain, which would likely cause him to miss time, so he has the best shot at playing and playing well in Game 2.
Yet the most recent word from the organization itself was on Monday, when head coach Kenny Atkinson said that there was great concern about that trio missing time, and described them as "doubtful" as well as "questionable" during his press availability.
If any number of those important rotation players misses time, the Cavs will be stretched. If all three miss time, Atkinson will have his work cut out for him.
Atkinson will need to get creative with his lineups
One of the beauties of Cleveland's depth this season was the ability to keep the minute load down on their players, especially given the injury history of many of the members of the rotation. That luxury will be out the window as the Cavaliers weather their current injury storm.
Jarrett Allen will need to step up in a significant way, not only manning the center position defensively but also dominating the glass and as a play finisher to decrease the number of shots that Donovan Mitchell and Ty Jerome need to take. Without Evan Mobley, the Cavs don't have another center they trust, especially since they can't pair Dean Wade and De'Andre Hunter on the back line if Hunter misses time.
Dean Wade will likewise need to increase his minutes, filling in for both Evan Mobley and De'Andre Hunter. He would likely start if both Hunter and Mobley are out, and he will need to play the bulk of the minutes at power forward. Jaylon Tyson or Javonte Green could fill some minutes in a pinch, more so if Wade is needed at backup center because Tristan Thompson is unplayable.
The backcourt rotation will look similar to the last few games, with Sam Merrill starting and Ty Jerome playing a larger role. Jerome and Mitchell will need to find a way to contribute defensively and not stand like traffic cones conserving their energy for offense.
Can Atkinson configure his lineups to give Cleveland a fighting chance against a live Pacers team? Can he solve the problems at backup center behind Allen? What happens if Allen gets into foul trouble?
Cleveland is already toeing the line with their Game 1 loss, and a Game 2 defeat could send them spiraling. Despite playing without mutliple key players, the Cavaliers need to win this game. It will be Atkinson's most difficult coaching moment of the entire season.