Cleveland Cavaliers Evan Mobley
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Evan Mobley’s injury comes at a tough time for Cleveland as the Cavs try to sustain momentum without their defensive anchor.
The Cleveland Cavaliers are winning again, but the timing could not be worse. Cleveland will be without reigning Defensive Player of the Year Evan Mobley for one to three weeks after the forward suffered a calf strain during Monday night’s 114-98 win over the Orlando Magic. The team confirmed the diagnosis Tuesday following an MRI.
Mobley felt tightness in the calf after the game. Testing revealed a strain similar to the Grade 1 calf issue that sidelined him for five games in December. While the injury is not considered severe, it introduces uncertainty at a critical point in Cleveland’s season.
Mobley’s Absence Comes at a Delicate Moment
Mobley has been one of Cleveland’s most consistent two-way anchors this season. In 42 games, the fifth-year big man is averaging 17.9 points, 8.8 rebounds, four assists, and two blocks per night. He also recorded his 500th career blocked shot Monday, becoming the youngest player in franchise history to reach the milestone.
Despite those individual numbers, Mobley’s overall defensive impact has not translated as cleanly to team results. Cleveland currently ranks 12th in defensive rating (113.8) after finishing eighth last season. That drop reflects broader instability, not a decline in Mobley’s play.
Still, losing him even briefly matters. The Cavaliers are 28-20, eight games over .500, and riding their second four-game win streak of the season. They host the Lakers on Wednesday before departing for a season-long five-game road trip.That stretch now looms larger.
Mobley’s injury also all but ends his chances to repeat as Defensive Player of the Year. According to FanDuel, he currently sits tied for eighth in odds (+7500), alongside Derrick White. Even before the injury, his path was narrowing due to Cleveland’s middling defensive metrics.
Availability matters in award voting. Missing up to three weeks could cost Mobley seven or more games, pushing his return past the All-Star break. A shorter absence would limit the damage, but the margin is thin. For Cleveland, the focus is not awards. It’s survival.
Injuries Have Defined Cleveland’s Season
Mobley’s injury is just the latest example of a season shaped by health issues. Even the team’s core contributors have missed time. Darius Garland has missed 22 games. Jarrett Allen has been out for 11. Sam Merrill has missed 24, while Max Strus has yet to make his season debut following foot surgery. Donovan Mitchell and Jaylon Tyson have also dealt with intermittent absences.
That instability helps explain why Cleveland already has more losses than all of last season, when it finished 64-8 and earned the No. 1 seed. This year’s version has been forced to grind.
If Mobley returns at the low end of the timeline, he could be back before next Thursday’s trade deadline, costing him only three games. A longer recovery pushes his return into late February and forces Cleveland to navigate a difficult stretch without its best defender.
The Cavaliers have won six of their last seven. That momentum will be tested immediately. Cleveland has shown resilience all season. Now it has to show it again, without the player who stabilizes everything on the back line.