Cavaliers Face Key Injuries Ahead of Game 2 Against Pacers
The Cavaliers will be missing three vital players, including their Defensive Player of the Year, for their crucial Game 2 matchup against the Pacers after losing the first game at home.
The Cleveland Cavaliers will be short-handed in their second playoff game against the Indiana Pacers on Tuesday night, with three pivotal players ruled out, including the Defensive Player of the Year, Evan Mobley, who suffered an ankle injury.
Darius Garland will also be missing due to a toe sprain, while De’Andre Hunter is sidelined with a dislocated thumb. The Cavaliers, currently the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference, find themselves in a challenging position after losing Game 1 at home.
Cleveland’s coach, Kenny Atkinson, voiced his dissatisfaction with the physicality displayed by the Pacers in their previous matchup. “I don’t think they were dirty plays, but they crossed the line into excessive physicality,” Atkinson commented.
Mobley’s injury occurred when he landed awkwardly after a hook shot attempt, and Hunter’s injury was a result of a contested layup where no foul was called, much to Atkinson’s frustration.
Without these key players, the Cavaliers will need to rely on their starting lineup that includes Donovan Mitchell and Jarrett Allen, with Max Strus and Ty Jerome stepping up as substitutes. Winning against the Pacers in this compromised state poses a significant challenge.
