CLEVELAND (AP) — Cavaliers rookie forward Evan Mobley will miss Wednesday night’s game against Dallas — and maybe more — with a sprained left ankle as the injury-plagued team fights for a playoff spot.
Mobley got hurt in the first half of Monday’s win over Orlando. The 7-footer went up to contest a shot and then came down on Magic forward Franz Wagner’s foot, rolling his ankle.
Mobley limped to the locker room and didn’t return. Once they shook off the shock of yet another injury, the Cavaliers held on for a 107-101 win. It was their 42nd this season, 20 more than a year ago, and clinched Cleveland’s first winning season without LeBron James on the roster since 1998.
The team did not provide an update on the 20-year-old Mobley, but listed him as out on its injury report, which has been filled with the names of Cavaliers players for months.
Mobley, the No. 3 overall pick in the draft, is averaging 14.9 points and 8.3 rebounds in 67 starts and is a contender for Rookie of the Year honors.
All-Star center Jarrett Allen will also miss the matchup with the Mavericks. He’s been out since March 6 with a broken finger, and it’s not known when he’ll be back with the Cavs, who are seventh in the Eastern Conference with seven games remaining.
The top six teams are guaranteed playoff spots while teams No. 7-10 will meet in a play-in tournament.
The Cavs have lost leading scorer Collin Sexton, veteran guard Ricky Rubio and forward Dean Wade to season-ending knee injuries. Allen has been out for the past 11 games and guard Rajon Rondo has missed the last eight with a sprained right ankle.
The team has also been without guard Caris LeVert and forward Lauri Markkanen for long stretches, forcing coach J.B. Bickerstaff to get creative with lineups, rotations and strategies.
“I don’t know if there’s been another team that’s gone through what we’ve gone through — Caris being out and Lauri being out and D.G. being out, whoever it may be,” forward Kevin Love said after the Orlando win. “We’ve had guys step up and play well but we’re the type of team that our strength of the team is the team.
“When we’re whole we’re just much better.”
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