Cavaliers To Be Without Evan Mobley For 1-3 Weeks

The Cavaliers just can’t seem to stay healthy. Just when Cleveland seemed to be finding its rhythm, another key player has been sent to the sidelines due to injury. Reigning Defensive Player of the Year Evan Mobley will miss 1–3 weeks with a strained left calf suffered during Monday's win over Orlando. The timing couldn't be worse for a team trying to match preseason expectations and climb the Eastern Conference standings.

Here's the thing about the Cavaliers this year: they're not bad, but they're not the team that won 64 games last season either. Sitting tied for fourth in the conference at 29–20 and nine games over .500, they've already accumulated more losses at the halfway point than last year, when they finished 64–18 and first place in the East. 

Mobley's averaging 17.9 points and 8.8 rebounds while anchoring a defense that's been inconsistent at best. The thing about the Cavs' fifth-year forward is that a lot of what he brings to the team doesn’t exactly show up in the regular box score. Defensively, he's the backbone of the team, the guy who erases mistakes and protects the rim. Losing him for potentially three weeks, especially with a five-game road trip looming, could derail whatever momentum Cleveland has built.

Unfortunately, this is the second time this season Mobley has dealt with the same calf issue, having missed five games in December. Recurring soft-tissue injuries are never just "minor setbacks," as the NBA has seen over the past couple of seasons.

A mix of brilliance, inconsistency, and injury concerns has defined Cleveland's season. With Darius Garland and Max Strus dealing with their own injuries, the Cavs need a stretch when their entire roster, or at least their main core, is healthy.  While the Detroit Pistons look to be a lock for the top seed, the rest of the Eastern Conference playoff race is tight, with just four games separating seeds 2–6.

If the Cavs can find a way to keep their top players on the court after the All-Star break, they could easily secure a top-three playoff berth. However, if these injuries become a continuing story, they may find themselves battling for their playoff lives as a play-in berth.