Cleveland Cavaliers power forward Evan Mobley will miss Friday night’s game against the Miami Heat due to a sprained big toe, according to the team’s official injury report. Mobley suffered the injury late in Wednesday’s game in New York when he went up for a block and taking a hard fall.
While there is never an opportune time for an injury, losing a key piece of the front court ahead of a date with the Miami Heat will be difficult to overcome. Giannis Antetokounmpo and Bam Adebayo make for a very
formidable front court duo, and having Mobley would have helped counter them immensely. Jarrett Allen, who recently returned from an injury of his own, will be tasked with securing the interior on defense next to Mario Hezonja or Peyton Watson.
Mobley played 33 minutes on Wednesday, finishing with 10 points, five rebounds, four assists, and one block. He shot 4-8 from the floor, but had an overall quiet stat line.
The Cavs started Tyrese Proctor for a game with Allen out, and could opt to do the same with Mobley not available. Watson, who had a very nice game defensively against the Knicks, may slide over to power forward to make room for Proctor. Jaylon Tyson, who also returned from injury, is another candidate to start. Hezonja’s size may make him a more ideal candidate for additional playing time, though he had a mostly forgettable game on Wednesday.
Mobley has generally faired well on defense against Antetokounmpo, relative to the rest of the league. Giannis will still dominate games and impact winning, but Mobley has been able to use his size and quickness to at least be a deterrent. The Cavs will not have that Friday night, making it an even more daunting task to slow down Antetokounmpo and the Heat.
