“He could not really see out of his left eye,” said Donovan Mitchell, confirming his absence from the Cleveland Cavaliers’ game against the Chicago Bulls.
Mitchell’s injury occurred during practice when he collided with teammate Evan Mobley. The Cavaliers announced his status just before tipoff, downgrading him from questionable to out.
In a previous matchup against the Milwaukee Bucks, Mitchell played through the injury, scoring 19 points on 4 of 14 shooting. However, the condition of his left eye, which was visibly bloodshot, raised concerns.
Cavaliers head coach Kenny Atkinson provided further insight, stating, “It’s not like a scratched cornea, nothing dangerous, but we got to let it clear up.” Atkinson noted that Mitchell experienced issues with blurry vision.
As the Cavaliers prepare for their next game against the New Orleans Pelicans, Mitchell’s absence left a void in the wing rotation. He is currently averaging 28.0 points, 5.9 assists, and 4.5 rebounds on 48% shooting this season.
The Cavaliers also faced challenges with center Jarrett Allen missing his seventh consecutive game due to right knee tendinitis. Additionally, guard Craig Porter Jr. is expected to be sidelined for one to three weeks with a left groin injury.
The Cavaliers have 13 games remaining in the regular season before the playoffs begin, making each game critical for their playoff positioning.
Mitchell is expected to return for the upcoming game against the Pelicans, providing a much-needed boost to the Cavaliers’ lineup.
