Donovan Mitchell wanted Saturday’s game against the Dallas Mavericks postponed. The NBA kept it on the schedule, but the Cleveland Cavaliers will play without virtually their entire starting lineup.
Mitchell, James Harden, Jarrett Allen and Peyton Watson were ruled out Saturday afternoon, joining injured forward Evan Mobley on the sidelines less than 24 hours after Cleveland’s 133-121 loss to the Miami Heat.
The four players started Friday in Miami alongside Jaylon Tyson. Mobley had already been sidelined by a left great toe sprain.
According to the NBA’s official 5:45 p.m. ET injury report, Mitchell, Allen and Watson are out with injury-management designations, while Harden is dealing with left calf tightness.
The Donovan Mitchell injury update follows an extraordinary travel disruption that prevented the Cavaliers from flying home Friday night after a nationwide Federal Aviation Administration ground stop.
Instead, Cleveland spent another night in Miami before flying home Saturday morning, leaving little recovery time before its 7:30 p.m. ET matchup at Rocket Arena.
Donovan Mitchell Wanted Mavericks Game Postponed
Mitchell made his feelings clear after Friday’s loss to the Heat.
Asked by Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com whether he wanted Saturday’s game canceled, Mitchell replied: “Me, personally, yeah for sure.”
The Cavaliers star pointed to the unusual demands of traveling on game day after playing the previous night.
“This is unprecedented. Back-to-back. Three-hour flight. It was already going to be a tough one,” Mitchell said. “But if they say we have to play then we have to play.”
The Cavaliers originally planned to return home immediately after Friday’s game.
However, the FAA ground stop disrupted those arrangements, forcing the team to secure another pilot for Saturday morning.
According to The Associated Press, Cleveland’s flight departed Miami at 8:54 a.m. Saturday.
Despite the disruption, the NBA did not postpone the Mavericks game.
Cavaliers Missing Nearly Entire Starting Lineup
Cleveland’s subsequent injury decisions leave coach Kenny Atkinson with a dramatically depleted roster.
Mitchell is sidelined with a left knee contusion and injury management. Allen is out with right knee injury management, while Watson has right hamstring injury management.
Harden will miss the game because of left lower leg and calf tightness.
Meanwhile, Mobley remains sidelined with a toe sprain.
The Cavaliers are also missing Sam Merrill because of right elbow injury management and Nae’Qwan Tomlin because of a low back stress reaction.
The official report does not establish that the travel disruption caused the absences. However, the injury-management designations indicate Cleveland is prioritizing recovery for several players amid the demanding turnaround.
Mitchell scored 25 points Friday, while rookie Tyrese Proctor contributed 22 off the bench.
Without Mitchell and Harden, Cleveland will need more offense from Proctor, Craig Porter Jr. and its remaining guards.
The absences of Allen and Mobley also leave the Cavaliers without their regular starting frontcourt.
Cleveland enters Saturday’s game at 6-7 after dropping its final road game in Miami.
Mitchell didn’t get the postponement he wanted.
Instead, the Cavaliers will face Dallas without four of Friday’s starters and their injured All-Star big man, leaving Atkinson to piece together a makeshift lineup.
Cavaliers Make Drastic Decision After Donovan Mitchell Calls for Mavs Game Cancellation