The Cleveland Cavaliers could be getting some much-needed reinforcements for Monday’s game against the Charlotte Hornets.
Superstar Donovan Mitchell could be returning to the lineup after missing Friday’s loss to the Chicago Bulls with an illness. Sam Merrill is also expected to be back after missing a month with a hand injury. Both players are listed as probable for Monday.
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The Cavs have been overly reliant on Mitchell this season. They are 8-1 when he scores 35 or more points and 0-5 when he plays and scores 21 or fewer. They are also 1-2 when he doesn’t play at all.
Mitchell has been one of the few bright spots for the Cavs this season. He’s elevated his game as he’s averaging a career high in points (30.8) and efficiency. The Cavs would be in a much worse position if he weren’t having as strong a season.
Merrill was also having the best season of his career before injuring his hand during Cleveland’s 118-106 win over the Milwaukee Bucks on Nov. 17. He’s been held out of the lineup since then. Merrill is averaging a career high 13.9 points per game on .466/.444/.938 shooting splits.
The Cavs have also played much better with Merrill on the court this season. They are 9-3 when Merrill plays and 6-11 when he doesn’t. Unsurprisingly, he has the fourth-best on/off differential on the team behind only Evan Mobley, Mitchell, and Nae’Qwan Tomlin.
The Cavs have more issues than injuries, but things likely wouldn’t have fallen off as drastically as they have if they were healthier. We’ll see if the Cavaliers can get back on track with Mitchell and Merrill likely returning to the lineup.
Craig Porter Jr. could also be available. He missed the last game with illness.
The Cavaliers will be without Evan Mobley (calf), Larry Nance Jr. (calf), Max Strus (foot), Luke Travers (G League), and Chris Livingston (G League) on Monday.
