CLEVELAND — Cleveland Cavaliers rookie Evan Mobley will be out multiple weeks after suffering a right elbow sprain during Monday night's game against the Boston Celtics.
Head coach J.B. Bickerstaff said after the game that Mobley had gotten tangled up during the third quarter with Celtics' Enes Kanter and sustained the injury, but at that time did not have an update as he was waiting to talk to team trainers.
Bickerstaff said it wasn't a "dirty play," on Kanter, just two guys playing basketball and it was a "freak" incident.
Mobley underwent an MRI to determine the severity of the injury and on Tuesday the team announced that the scans confirmed the right elbow sprain. He is expected to miss 2-4 weeks with the injury.
The No. 3 overall pick in this year's draft has been a standout on the Cavs, averaging 14.6 points, eight rebounds, 1.0 steal and 1.6 blocks per game with four double-doubles this season.
Bickerstaff said they'll keep Mobley in good spirits and make sure he's around the team while he heals.
The Cavs roster has taken quite the blow as of late, with Collin Sexton sidelined indefinitely with a torn meniscus in his left knee, Lamar Stevens sidelined with a right ankle sprain, Jarrett Allen missing Monday's game with a non-COVID-19 related illness and Kevin Love and Lauri Markkanen having both been placed in the NBA's COVID-19 health and safety protocol, although both Love and Markkanen returned to practice with the team Tuesday.
Bickerstaff said they'll evaluate Love to see if he's able to return on Wednesday while Markkanen continues to ramp up for his return.
Allen will not travel with the team for their Wednesday road game and will remain out with illness. Stevens is still progressing through his injury and will remain out and Bickerstaff had no update on Sexton.
Still, the Cavs have battled through the injuries, rallying around each other to start the season 9-6 and remain highly competitive even in losses.
"Everybody's got to do their part. Obviously we're down [Mobley] but we're down other bodies and that's the NBA and 82 games, is at some point in time, everybody's going to get an opportunity and everybody's just got to take a step up and do a little bit more," Bickerstaff said. "We can't expect one person to replace Evan or Collin or Kevin or Lauri or any of these guys that have been out. It's got to be a group where everybody just does a little bit more and try to fill that gap."
They'll hit the road again after wrapping a four-game homestand, taking on the Brooklyn Nets inside Barclays Center Wednesday at 7:30 p.m.
Camryn Justice is a digital content producer at News 5 Cleveland. Follow her on Twitter @camijustice.
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