When Cleveland Cavaliers superstar Donovan Mitchell has been on the court lately, it’s clear he still isn’t 100%. His bothersome knee is holding him back physically. Mitchell remains hobbled by the injury, keeping him from having the usual explosiveness and speed that allows him to dominate opponents offensively.
This knee injury and a nasal fracture that required surgery have held Mitchell to only nine appearances after the All-Star break. In those limited appearances, Mitchell is averaging just 16.9 points on 37.8% shooting from the field and 38.9% from 3-point range to go with 4.0 assists and 3.8 rebounds in 34.6 minutes per game.
More worryingly, the Cavs own a 4-5 record in the stretch Mitchell has played after the All-Star break, leaving more questions than answers on how the hampered All-Star is able to help the team win. But, with the playoffs looming, should Cleveland worry as they tumble down the Eastern Conference standings? Should the Cavs shut Mitchell down to allow him the time to properly recover and plan their schemes assuming he isn’t available?
Well, like most things in life, it’s not that simple.
Why the Cavs need Donovan Mitchell out there
“This has been a conversation between myself, him, and our medical staff,” said Cleveland head coach JB Bickerstaff regarding possibly shutting down Mitchell. “It’s the thing that we’re most comfortable with. He knows his body more than anybody. He feels like he needs the reps.”
To Bickerstaff’s point, no one knows how they’re feeling physically better than Mitchell does, especially when the star guard has repeatedly repeated that his knee feels fine. So, instead of focusing on the remainder of the regular season, the Cavs have to throw their overall record out the window when looking at games where Mitchell is on the floor.
That’s because when Mitchell is on the floor, Cleveland is actually able to consistently function on offense.
Despite the faults that come with his injury and the Cavs being outscored by 12.9 points per 100 possessions, things just aren’t as cohesive for Cleveland on offense whenever Mitchell sits. The Cavs offense seemingly stagnates and becomes far too reliant on exclusively Darius Garland to do everything, everywhere all at once.
More than that, it makes Cleveland a little too predictable as well. When it’s just Garland out there running the show, more often than not opposing defenses look to cut the head off the snake. But when Mitchell is out there, it makes things more dynamic for the Cavs when everything is firing on all cylinders and it further emboldens Cleveland’s justification for riding with Mitchell, win or lose.
Right now, the Cavs need Mitchell to feel some semblance of a rhythm heading into the playoffs on top of his already bothersome knee injury. If he does, it’s easier to find his comfort with the bothersome knee, especially if his teammates are able to play off of him and whatever limitations he’s dealing with physically.
Besides, if Donovan Mitchell is to be shut down and then return in the playoffs, it’s like throwing a newborn deer onto the freeway and expecting it to survive against a semi truck. In that scenario, the odds are more against Mitchell and the Cavs, who want to right the wrongs from the low points in this season. That’s why, for now, it’s the best call for Mitchell and Cleveland to keep on trucking on and hope his knee doesn’t give out along the way.
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