Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell will likely miss Game 5 against the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference semifinals series, as he continues to recover from a calf strain injury.
Mitchell is listed as doubtful on the injury report. Boston won 109-102 at Cleveland in Game 4 on Monday night to take a 3-1 series lead. Celtics center Al Horford said Wednesday morning that Mitchell’s absence has no effect on his team’s game plan.
“We expect them to come out battling, fighting. … We have to be able to match that regardless,” Horford said. “I feel like our group responded pretty well from last game from expecting him not to play. It has to be the same way tonight.”
Cavaliers All-Star Donovan Mitchell is expected to miss tonight’s potential elimination Game 5 vs. Boston, sources tell me and @joevardon. Mitchell is dealing with a calf strain. pic.twitter.com/mdp5As2FVI
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) May 15, 2024
Darius Garland, who scored 30 points and nailed four 3-pointers in Game 4, said the key to bouncing back at TD Garden is coming out aggressive and maintaining a potential lead.
“I think [Boston’s] gonna come out with aggressiveness, trying to close this out. We have to make the first punch,” Garland told reporters ahead of Game 5.
NBA betting sites show the Cavaliers with eighth-ranked odds to win the championship, the lowest odds of any remaining playoff team.
Cleveland Cavaliers’ Donovan Mitchell (calf) is doubtful for Game 5 against Boston Celtics
The Cavaliers kept it close in Game 4 without their star player. Cleveland trailed just 62-57 at halftime. Though, the Cavs felt the discrepancy at the free-throw line, with Boston attempting 24 free throws to Cleveland’s seven.
“That’s ridiculous,” Garland said. “It’s tough to get just seven free throws. I know how many times I get hit and how many times my teammates get hit. It’s tough.”
Despite Game 4’s loss, Cavaliers coach J.B. Bickerstaff is proud of how his team played.
GAME FIVE.
🕖 7PM ET
📺 @NBAonTNT
📻 @wtam1100, La Mega Cleveland
📰 https://t.co/OpRjFjXtgB@RocketMortgage | #LetEmKnow pic.twitter.com/QEAdCAMIFV— Cleveland Cavaliers (@cavs) May 15, 2024
“They laid it all out there,” Bickerstaff said. “They gave us everything that they had. And they competed at a high level. They played the game properly. I’m proud of the guys, the way they went out and scrapped and competed and gave ourselves a chance.”
Jarrett Allen (ribs) also sat out for the seventh straight game after the center sustained his injury in the opening round.
Cleveland is a 15-point underdog at Boston ahead of Game 5
Game 6, if necessary, would be back at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse on Friday.
Cleveland is 2-10 in its last 12 road games at Boston and 1-7 in its past eight road contests. The Celtics are 17-3 in their previous 20 home games.
Of course, Celtics center Kristaps Porzingis (calf) missed his fifth straight game Monday night.
The Cavs are 12-16 overall this season without Donovan Mitchell.
NBA sportsbooks show the Cavaliers as heavy 15-point underdogs at Boston for Game 5. The Celtics hold a 68.1% chance of closing out the series tonight, per ESPN’s Basketball Power Index.
