Subscribe
Follow Us
The Cleveland Cavaliers' dreams of a deep playoff run may now hinge on the stability of one injured ankle — Donovan Mitchell’s left one. It was supposed to be a celebration. With the Eastern Conference’s top seed within reach and a raucous home crowd behind them, the Cavs were poised to clinch.
But when Mitchell crumpled to the hardwood early in the third quarter against the Sacramento Kings, all of that vanished in an instant. The scoreboard didn’t matter. Neither did playoff seeding or franchise win records. For a moment, the entire city of Cleveland held its breath.
Mitchell had just made a layup when he turned to hustle back on defense. As he maneuvered to avoid Sacramento guard Keon Ellis, his foot landed awkwardly on Ellis’s and rolled. He dropped immediately, clutching his ankle in pain. Head coach Kenny Atkinson burned a timeout as medical staff rushed to assess the situation. The atmosphere inside Rocket Arena turned ice-cold.
Donovan Mitchell just went down. Holding his ankle pic.twitter.com/ZbqhPXbBM0
— Dylan🔮🪼 (@dillybar2145__) April 6, 2025
“I had a discussion with him,” Atkinson said. “I said, ‘Listen, if it’s even 5% where you’re a little weak or whatever, or it’s bothering you, you gotta tell me so we can get you out. We’ve got multiple games to try to clinch this thing. Don’t have to do it tonight.’ He said it felt fine.”
But Mitchell wasn’t having it.
Five minutes later, he re-emerged from the locker room, drawing a huge ovation. He reentered the game at the 3:02 mark of the third quarter with the Cavs down by four — a deficit created during his brief absence. By the end of the night, he had logged 33 minutes, including all 12 in the fourth quarter, finishing with 19 points, seven rebounds, six assists, and two steals.
His toughness is unquestioned. His leadership, undeniable. But the question echoing through Cleveland now is simple: Was it worth it?
Is there a reason to worry about Cavs superstar Donovan Mitchell's ankle?
Postgame, Mitchell was visibly limping. When a reporter asked how he was feeling, he offered a wry smile and a sarcastic, “Never been better.”
The Cavs lost 120-113, failing to clinch the East’s top seed. Sure, it's a goal they can still achieve in any of their final four games. But the real loss might come if Mitchell’s ankle doesn’t bounce back in the next two weeks. His health is now the single most important storyline of the Cavs’ season.
There’s reason to worry. Last year, Mitchell attempted a late-season return from a knee injury that lingered into the playoffs and ultimately forced him to miss the final two games of Cleveland’s series loss to the Celtics. The previous injury was managed poorly — something the Cavs were determined not to repeat.
All season long, Atkinson and the medical staff have carefully monitored Mitchell’s minutes, shaving down his workload to keep him fresh. He’s averaged just 31.4 minutes per game this season, the lowest of his career, with the playoffs always being the north star. Now, with the playoffs just two weeks away, that plan is in jeopardy.
“We’re not going to sit here and assess the future until we figure out what’s ahead,” Mitchell said. “So right now, obviously, I’m going to be smart, but figure out when it gets to it and be ready.”
Being smart means listening to the body, not the scoreboard. It means knowing that grabbing the No. 1 seed is far less important than having a fully healthy Mitchell for the first round. The Cavs need to trust the system they’ve spent an entire season building — one based on long-term thinking and deep playoff aspirations.
Cleveland should handle Donovan Mitchell gently with only four regular-season games remaining
But Mitchell is a competitor through and through. He admitted the adrenaline masked the pain initially. “If I’m able to go, I’m able to go,” he said. “I’m trying to win. I’m trying to help my team win any way possible.”
That mentality is why he’s beloved — but also why someone in the Cavs’ front office might have to step in. His drive can sometimes be his downfall. If there’s any lingering pain, the team must resist the urge to let him chase regular-season glory at the expense of postseason availability.
The Cavs (62-16) can still lock up the East’s top spot with a win over Chicago on Tuesday or a Boston loss. Either way, it won’t matter unless Mitchell is ready for April 20, when the playoffs begin. Every strategy, every minute restriction, every lineup tweak this season has been building toward that date.
Yes, the box score says Mitchell finished the game. But the limp afterward says something else.
“Imagine, you know, ankle's bad — he's out for a couple weeks, right? That could easily happen,” said Atkinson. “I look at [him returning as a] positive, man. He came back and finished, you know, played the whole fourth quarter. So that might be the most positive thing of the night.”
This isn’t the time to gamble.
Mitchell’s presence transforms the Cavs from a talented playoff team to a legitimate title contender. Without him — or with him at 70% — that picture changes dramatically. This season has been about pacing and preparation, sacrifice and support. Mitchell bought in from the start, empowering teammates like Evan Mobley and Darius Garland, and leading not just with buckets, but by example.
Now, the team must return the favor — protect their star from himself. Wrap that ankle in bubble wrap, shut him down for the final stretch if needed, and don’t look back.
Because when the lights are brightest, the Cavs will go only as far as Donovan Mitchell — and his left ankle — can carry them.
