Donovan Mitchell will miss the Cleveland Cavaliers' Friday matchup against the Detroit Pistons due to a groin injury. James Harden is listed as questionable with a fractured right thumb. The Cavaliers, holding the No. 4 seed in the East, face a pivotal game against the league-leading Pistons.
The Cleveland Cavaliers face challenges ahead of their Eastern Conference showdown with the Detroit Pistons. Donovan Mitchell, averaging 28.5 points per game this season, is out with a groin injury. He also sat out Wednesday's 118-116 loss to the Milwaukee Bucks, the second game of a back-to-back after a 109-94 win over the New York Knicks. Mitchell has appeared in 55 of Cleveland's games, contributing 4.5 rebounds and 5.8 assists while leading the NBA with 517 three-point attempts at 37% efficiency.
James Harden, acquired by the Cavaliers at the trade deadline, is questionable for the game due to a non-displaced fracture in his right thumb. The left-handed guard sustained the injury recently and will not require surgery, opting instead for a wrap or splint. Estimates suggest such injuries typically sideline players for about 6.5 games or 17 days. Harden was downgraded to out for Wednesday's Bucks game after initially being listed as questionable. Since joining Cleveland, he has played seven games, averaging 18.9 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 8 assists on 49% shooting from three in 41 attempts. The Cavaliers are 6-2 in those contests.
Other questionable players include Keon Ellis (left index finger fracture), Dennis Schröder (ankle sprain), and Dean Wade (ankle sprain). Evan Mobley, who missed Wednesday for calf management, is available. Cleveland sits at 37-23, 7.5 games behind the 43-14 Pistons, but has won 15 of its last 20 games without consecutive losses since December. Detroit's injury report is clear except for Isaiah Stewart, serving the sixth game of a seven-game suspension.
The Cavaliers have surged recently, winning 14 of 17 games, including most with Harden. Their concern level stands at 5 out of 10 amid these health issues as playoffs near.
