The Cleveland Cavaliers have officially ruled out Donovan Mitchell for their upcoming game against the Portland Trail Blazers on Tuesday, March 25. Mitchell, who has been dealing with a minor groin injury sustained earlier this month, will be sidelined for precautionary reasons.
The All-Star guard previously missed games against the Brooklyn Nets and Memphis Grizzlies on March 11 and 14. Since returning, he has struggled to regain peak form, averaging 18 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 5.4 assists while shooting just 14.3% from three and 30.9% overall in his last five outings—four of which resulted in losses. With Cleveland holding the top seed in the Eastern Conference, resting Mitchell to ensure his long-term health is a logical decision.
Cleveland recently ended a four-game losing streak with a victory over the Utah Jazz on March 23 but will need a win against Portland to further distance itself from that slump. However, without Mitchell on the floor, the Cavaliers’ offense will likely take a hit.
Portland’s Toumani Camara poses a defensive challenge for Cleveland’s wings, potentially limiting their offensive creativity. As a result, Darius Garland is expected to take on an expanded role in orchestrating the team’s half-court offense.
Atkinson Emphasizes Defensive Discipline
Following Cleveland’s 132-119 loss to the LA Clippers on March 18, head coach Kenny Atkinson voiced concerns about the team’s defensive discipline.
“They played great,” Atkinson admitted. “Elite shot-making performance by them. A poor defensive performance by us…Our lack of discipline, fouling them, putting them on the line. And then giving them second-chance points. Even though they did have an elite shot-making game, we didn’t do the little things. We weren’t disciplined on the margins. That’s why you give up 132 points.”
Though the Cavaliers have shown improvement, maintaining focus and executing on defense will be crucial against Portland. Chauncey Billups’ squad is young, athletic, and determined—traits that could pose problems if Cleveland isn’t locked in.
Cavaliers Tipped to Defeat Celtics in Conference Finals
While the playoffs are still months away, speculation is already brewing about a potential Eastern Conference Finals showdown between Cleveland and Boston. On the March 7 episode of The Bill Simmons Show, NBA analyst Bill Simmons suggested that hunger and motivation could give the Cavaliers an edge over the Celtics.
“I do wonder sometimes if hunger is the most underrated noun in sports, and that’s what worries me with Cleveland vs. Boston,” Simmons said. “Boston plays hard, Tatum plays hard every night, the team gives a s—t, but Cleveland hasn’t been there before, and every guy on that team, when they play the Celtics, it will be the most important two weeks of their life.”
He continued:
“The Celtics can’t say the same, and there’s that little edge of like Game 7 at home, Donovan Mitchell thinking, ‘holy s—t, I could actually make the Finals, this is my moment right now.’ The Celtics had that last year. Going back-to-back is really hard. The history of the NBA shows that winning a second time in a row is the single hardest thing to do.”
With Mitchell sidelined for the Trail Blazers matchup, the Cavaliers will have to find ways to compensate for his absence. A victory over Portland would help keep them on track as they continue their push for a deep playoff run.
