Cavaliers Announce Donovan Mitchell Injury Update for Hawks Game

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Paolo Songco | Last updated Apr 9, 2026 6:16 PM ET

Donovan Mitchell went off for the Cleveland Cavaliers in their 122-116 win over the Atlanta Hawks on Wednesday. The seven-time All-Star led the Cavs with 31 points on 12-of-19 shooting, seven rebounds, four assists, a block and one three-pointer in 35 minutes of action.

The Cavs improved to 51-29 after the win and remain fourth in the Eastern Conference. As of writing, they are half a game behind the third-seeded New York Knicks.

Cleveland has two more games left in the regular season. They will play their last road game on Friday in a rematch against the Hawks. Their season finale is on Sunday at home against the Washington Wizards.

Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell (45).© David Richard-Imagn Images

The bad news for the Cavs is that they will be significantly shorthanded against the Hawks on Friday. They have already submitted their injury report, which included Mitchell.

The Cavs announced on Thursday that Mitchell will not play against Atlanta on Friday. He has been ruled out due to a right ankle issue and injury management.

Mitchell’s injury does not sound serious, and it appears that Cleveland is giving him the night off with the NBA playoffs approaching. The Cavs can still chase the Knicks for the No. 3 seed, but it seems that they are prioritizing their players’ health.

Mitchell is in the midst of another big year for the Cavs. He has played 70 games, averaging 27.9 points on 48.3% shooting, 4.5 rebounds, 5.7 assists, 1.5 steals and 3.2 triples in 33.5 minutes per game.

James Harden and Evan Mobley will be expected to carry the load for Cleveland with Mitchell sidelined.

Jarrett Allen (right knee, injury management) and Sam Merrill (left hamstring, injury management) have also been ruled out for Friday’s contest.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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