-
Jamal CollierMay 5, 2025, 03:08 PM ET
- Jamal Collier is an NBA reporter at ESPN. Collier covers the Milwaukee Bucks, Chicago Bulls and the Midwest region of the NBA, including stories such as Minnesota’s iconic jersey swap between Anthony Edwards and Justin Jefferson. He has been at ESPN since Sept. 2021 and previously covered the Bulls for the Chicago Tribune. You can reach out to Jamal on Twitter @JamalCollier or via email Jamal.Collier@espn.com.
CLEVELAND — Already trailing the series 1-0, the Cleveland Cavaliers are now facing significant injury questions heading into Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals against the Indiana Pacers.
Darius Garland (toe), Evan Mobley (ankle) and De’Andre Hunter (thumb) will all be listed as questionable entering Game 2 on Tuesday night. Cavs coach Kenny Atkinson said there is “real concern” about the availability for the latter two and also used the word doubtful when addressing their status after practice on Monday.
Both Mobley and Hunter were injured during back-to-back possessions in the fourth quarter of Game 1. Mobley landed awkwardly after knocking down a two-point jumper in the paint with 8:10 remaining, planting his left foot near the foot of Pacers center Myles Turner before Mobley fell to the floor. He was walking around with a limp in the Cavaliers locker room after the game.
On the next Cavs offensive possession, Hunter went driving toward the rim before being blocked by Pacers guard Bennedict Mathurin with 7:44 remaining. Hunter fell hard to the floor and the Cavs called timeout as Atkinson challenged the call, but the officiating crew determined there was no foul on the play and call on the floor stood.
Editor’s Picks
2 Related
Atkinson took issues with no-calls from the officials on either play, which he said crossed the line of physical play.
“I don’t think they were dirty plays, but I think it passed a line of physicality,” Atkinson said after practice on Monday. “That line we’ve kind of been talking about where it became excessive. “I don’t think this is on Indiana, I have so much respect for how they play. But the fact of the matter, that’s on the referees. Maybe they weren’t missed calls and maybe I’m misinterpreting the rules, but I have a problem when we got two of our best players doubtful for tomorrow’s game. It’s hard for me to get my head around that.”
Atkinson later clarified all three players would be listed as questionable, calling their official designation “semantics.”
The top-seeded Cavs were already facing a 1-0 series deficit after dropping Game 1, 121-112, at home on Sunday night and considering they were uncertain about the status of Garland, who missed his third straight playoff game with a left toe injury. The Cavs held a film session and light shoot around session on Monday and Atkinson said it was “difficult to gauge” the status for Garland for Game 2.
But the Cavs injury report has expanded and the team is facing the potential of missing three key rotation players ahead of Tuesday’s critical game.
“It’s a difficult blow, but I think we realized we can do it with the guys we have no matter what,” Cavs center Jarrett Allen said. ‘We did it in the Heat series, not to talk about the past, but we’re able to overcome deficits of players being out by the players that we have.
“Kenny’s talking about it all year, about how we have a deep roster. We have a lot of guys that are able to step up in the right moment.”
