Evan Mobley is the latest NBA star to land on the injury report with a calf injury. The Cavaliers’ standout has been diagnosed with a calf strain and is set to miss the next two to four weeks, per ESPN’s Shams Charania.
It has not been an ideal start to the season for either Mobley or the Cavaliers collectively. After finishing with an Eastern Conference-leading 64-18 record last year, Cleveland sits in seventh place in the East at 15-11.
Across his first 25 games played, Mobley is averaging 19.1 points, 9.3 rebounds, 4.1 assists, and 1.6 blocks per game. The reigning Defensive Player of the Year is also shooting a career-high 4.3 three-point attempts per game and connecting at a 35.2% rate.
League-wide, teams are being extremely cautious with calf injuries following the spike in Achilles injuries. The initial timeline for Mobley is two to four weeks, but keep an eye on the timeline as it plays itself out. Victor Wembanyama is making his return from a similar issue on Saturday night after being sidelined since Nov. 14th.
Cleveland needs to find a way to get fully healthy and on the same page if it is to capitalize on a wide-open Eastern Conference in the postseason. Currently, the Cavaliers rank second in odds to win the Eastern Conference at +380 on DraftKings Sportsbook. They also hold the seventh-best odds of winning the championship at +2000.
Mobley also has the fifth-best odds to win Defensive Player of the Year for the second consecutive season at +1600 odds on DraftKings Sportsbook. Taking care of his body and making sure he gets back to 100% is the clear priority, but Mobley’s ability to reach the 65-game limit to stay eligible for the award will be worth monitoring.
The Cavs will host the Charlotte Hornets on Sunday afternoon, currently listed as 10.5-point moneyline favorites on DraftKings Sportsbook.
Stay tuned to DK Network for live updates surrounding Mobley’s outlook and all other notable players moving forward.
