The Cleveland Cavaliers did not expect to be in this position coming into the second round of the NBA Playoffs.
Cleveland’s offense looked unstoppable in their series sweep over the Miami Heat, and now, after a Game 1 loss to the Indiana Pacers, the Cavaliers are dealing with a plethora of injuries to key players.
Heading into Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Semi-Finals, Darius Garland is still dealing with his toe injury, and now Evan Mobley (ankle) and De’Andre Hunter (thumb) are also questionable to play.
Due to these injuries, Sam Quinn of CBS Sports has “severe concern” for the Cavaliers in their series against the Pacers.
“These are minor injuries in the grand scheme of things. They are potentially lethal in the context of this series,” wrote Quinn.
“The Cavaliers are already down one game. Even if Garland, Hunter and Mobley are ready for Game 3, a Game 2 loss means that the Cavs would need to win four out of the last five games of the series, including at least two on the road, to stay alive.”
Quinn is spot on with his assessment.
Mobley is arguably Cleveland’s best player and the Defensive Player of the Year. The Cavaliers acquired Hunter and his versatility for a series matchup with the Pacers. Garland is one of Cleveland’s best scorers and playmakers.
Missing one of these players presents an issue. Losing all three of them is a nightmare scenario for the Wine and Gold.
As Quinn also pointed out, the Pacers have been one of the best teams in basketball since January 1.
Indiana has a dangerous roster, and if the Cavaliers aren’t at full strength, they could be in serious trouble moving forward.
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