Cavaliers' Garland enters protocols, Mobley set to return

Cleveland Cavaliers guard Darius Garland Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports

Report: Cavaliers guard Darius Garland enters COVID-19 protocols, PF Evan Mobley set to return

By Victor Barbosa | Last updated 12/28/21

The Cleveland Cavaliers received one piece of good news and one piece of bad news on Tuesday afternoon.

Cavaliers rookie Evan Mobley has cleared COVID-19 protocols and is scheduled to rejoin the team as soon as today, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) December 28, 2021

Cleveland Cavaliers guard Darius Garland -- one of the season's revelations -- has entered into Covid protocols, sources tell ESPN.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) December 28, 2021

The Cavaliers have been one of the NBA's biggest pleasant surprises thus far, as they enter Tuesday's slate of games as the fifth-best team in the Eastern Conference at 20-13. Cleveland has the fourth-best average point differential in the entire NBA at +6.5, a figure which ranks first in the East.

The third-overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft, Mobley suffered an elbow sprain in November, but missed just four games. The USC product has missed the past four games while in the league's health and safety protocols and Cleveland is 3-5 without the big man this season vs. 17-8 with his services.

Mobley has seven double-doubles on the year and is averaging 13.8 points, 8.3 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 1.8 blocks and 33.6 minutes per game. Mobley earned the Eastern Conference Rookie of the Month honor in November.

Through 31 games this season, Garland has posted career-highs in points (19.5), assists (7.3), rebounds (3.0), steals (1.4) and minutes per game (34.2), while also shooting a career-best 47.9% from the field and 90.5% from the free throw line.

More must-reads: