Is Donovan Mitchell Playing Tonight vs Grizzlies? Latest On Cavs’ 5x All-Star

The Cleveland Cavaliers have had a hot and cold run in the season so far. Despite staying afloat above the 6th seed in the Eastern Conference, the Wine and Gold side hasn’t been consistent with their winning habits. Currently, they are in the 5th seed with a 46-33 record, competing against the NY Knicks, Indiana Pacers, and Orlando Magic for the third seed. Tonight, they take on the 13th-seeding Memphis Grizzlies at home with an opportunity to climb up the ladder.

Ahead of the game, the latest injury report confirmed the availability of the Cavs’ trusted guard, Donovan Mitchell. The 5x All-Star, who missed the last game against the LA Clippers with knee injury management, is available for tonight’s game, as per ESPN. The 27-year-old dealt with the same knee injury for the majority of the second half of this season.

The Cavs had a difficult season in the absence of Donovan Mitchell with an underwhelming 12-14 record. Despite the on-and-off run this season, Mitchell showcased his balling prowess, averaging 26.4 points, 5.1 assists, and 6 rebounds with a high score of 45 points. Apart from the knee injury, he also suffered a nasal fracture, after colliding with his own teammate, Tristan Thompson. Nevertheless, Mitchell has cleared all his injuries ahead of the postseason and can turn up the heat for the Cavs.

Cavaliers injury report

While Mitchell has sneaked out of the injury report, the Cavs still have a few names on the list. The team has listed Dean Wade and Ty Jerome out for the Grizzlies clash with knee and ankle injuries, respectively. Wade, the bench player, who helped the side defeat the Boston Celtics with a 20-point outburst in the 4th quarter in a recent, could be handy in the postseason.

On the other hand, the Grizzlies have more than half a side on the injury report. Currently, they have 13 players on the report with various injuries, including Desmond Bane, Jaren Jackson Jr., and Yuta Watanabe.

Cleveland Cavaliers: Depth chart and starting lineup

With Donovan Mitchell’s availability certain for tonight’s game, the Cavs have a balanced side with all their starters healthy for the game. In the absence of Mitchell, Caris LeVert took up the shooting guard role in the starting lineup. LeVert has averaged 16.2 points as a starter and 13.5 points off the bench. The 29-year-old could use his recent spike in his regular role from the bench.

With three games left in the regular season, the Cavs face the Grizzlies, Pacers and Hornets. If they win all three games, the Cavs will finish their season with a 49-33 record, comfortably placed above the 5th seed. Moreover, the starting lineup for tonight’s game may look like this: Darius Garland, Donovan Mitchell, Max Strus, Evan Mobley, and Jarrett Allen.

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