Cavaliers forward Evan Mobley was slated to return after a nine-game absence in time for Sunday’s road game vs. the Miami Heat, per Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com.
Mobley, who missed six weeks earlier this season following a knee procedure, will be back on a minutes restriction, Fedor reported.
The Cavs (43-27) hold a one-game lead over the New York Knicks for the third seed in the Eastern Conference entering Sunday. They also play Monday at home vs. the Charlotte Hornets.
Mobley missed nine straight games with his latest injury, which he suffered March 5 vs. the Boston Celtics. He will return to the starting lineup alongside center Jarrett Allen.
“When you’ve gone as long as he has gone without playing games, you need to get up to NBA speed,” coach J.B. Bickerstaff said, via Fedor. “Fortunately, it happens pretty quickly for him because of his IQ, his understanding of where to be on the floor and kind of who he is and the selfless nature that he plays the game with. Then you have to find your wind and conditioning and all those things as well.”
Donovan Mitchell (knee/nose), Max Strus (knee) and Dean Wade (knee) remain out. How Strus and Wade became injured has not been made clear by the Cavs.
More must-reads: