Sunday night did not go according to plan for the Cleveland Cavaliers, to say the least. Not only did they suffer their fourth loss of the season by being on the receiving end of a 122-113 loss against the Miami Heat, they also saw Evan Mobley have to exit the game early due to a left ankle injury. Mobley did not suit up at all in the second half, tallying just four points, three rebounds, and one steal in 12 minutes of action.
It’s not quite clear when Mobley sustained the injury, but according to Jackson Flickinger of Fear The Sword, the Cavs big man twisted his ankle after hauling in a defensive rebound with 9:19 left in the second quarter. Mobley did not look visibly injured, as it wasn’t as though he was obviously limping. In fact, he looked healthy when he remained in the game until the 7:44 mark of the quarter before he exited the game for good.
At the very least, it should be a major source of relief that Cavs head coach Kenny Atkinson doesn’t think as though Mobley’s injury is anything serious.
“I don’t know. It’s just you know, a sprain. I didn’t talk to the training staff, but I don’t think it’s a bad one,” Atkinson said.
Ankle injury momentarily halts Evan Mobley’s breakout campaign for the Cavs
Cavs' Evan Mobley fights for loose ball
© Rhona Wise-Imagn Images
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Evan Mobley has been on a tear for the Cavs all season long, proving him well worthy of the five-year, $224 million extension he signed in the offseason. Entering their Sunday night game against the Heat, Mobley was averaging 18.9 points, 9.3 rebounds, and 2.8 assists per game on a career-best true shooting percentage, buoyed by a career-best 41-point night against the Charlotte Hornets on December 7.
Mobley, however, has seen hot streaks be halted by injuries in the past. He dealt with knee and ankle problems last season, and it’s a bit of a concern that he exited the Cavs’ loss against the Heat early. But while Mobley did not look like he had a visible limp, Atkinson revealed that the two had a conversation regarding his physical well-being and that the Cavs simply decided to err on the side of caution in the end.
“We had some discussion. He said, ‘I’m gonna try it. If it’s still bothering me I’m gonna stop,’ which is good. I saw him limping after it happened and then limping on successive plays. You know, that’s a tough kid. [The injury is] unfortunate for us,” Atkinson added.