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Down 2-0 in the Eastern Conference Semifinals against the Indiana Pacers, the Cleveland Cavaliers head into Game 3 in desperate need of a spark. That spark may come in the form of reinforcements returning from injury. In a welcome reprieve, Cleveland will have Darius Garland, Evan Mobley, and De’Andre Hunter all back in the lineup. All three are critical players who missed Game 2 due to injury. As the Cavs prepare to play on the road in Indiana, their full-strength roster offers a glimmer of hope in what has been an uphill battle.
Garland, the team’s All-Star point guard, returns after a sprained big toe on his left foot kept him out since Game 2 of the first-round series against Miami. The injury had lingered since late in the regular season, but Garland’s absence in the playoffs has been especially noticeable.
Without Garland, Cleveland’s offense stagnated. Donovan Mitchell was forced into an even heavier offensive load, tasked with both playmaking and scoring. The result was a slower, more predictable attack, one that struggled to keep pace with Indiana’s up-tempo style. Garland’s return restores balance. Through two postseason games this year, he was averaging 24 points and 7 assists. Garland has been missed, and Cavs head coach Kenny Atkinson made it clear how much his return matters.
“You always miss an All-Star,” Cavs coach Kenny Atkinson said of Garland. “We have not shot the ball well. He helps with that. He obviously can create an advantage on his own.”
Evan Mobley and De'Andre Hunter will also give the Cavs a major boost
Joining Garland is Evan Mobley, the Cavs’ defensive anchor and a rising star in the frontcourt. Mobley sprained his left ankle after stepping on Myles Turner’s foot late in Game 1. The injury was so bad, he was unable to play in Game 2. Mobley's absence left Cleveland thin in the paint, forcing Jarrett Allen to shoulder an increased load and pushing swingman Dean Wade into small-ball center duties, an unconventional wrinkle.
The return of Mobley not only gives Cleveland its rim protector back but also renews its frontcourt duo that has become a hallmark of the team’s defensive identity. Mobley’s progress over the last 48 hours—participating in walkthroughs, shootarounds, and pregame warmups—has been promising. He showed no signs of discomfort during sprints and movement drills ahead of Game 3.
Then there’s De’Andre Hunter, the Cavs’ 3-and-D wing whose impact may not always show in the box score, but is deeply felt on both ends of the floor. Hunter suffered a dislocated right thumb in a hard collision with Indiana’s Bennedict Mathurin during Game 1.
Although Hunter is still likely experiencing pain on impact, the swelling has subsided enough for him to play. His ability to space the floor and defend multiple positions makes him a critical piece, especially against a dynamic Pacers squad that thrives in transition.
Will Cleveland give their returning players a significant load right away?
Thankfully, all three players participated in Friday morning’s shootaround and pregame warmups at Gainbridge Fieldhouse without issue. Atkinson did caution that he’ll be monitoring their workloads closely.
“That’s going to be a feel if it happens,” Atkinson said. “Darius is the tough one. I think about almost two weeks, so if he ends up playing, it’s just going to be a lot of communication with all three of those guys. Going to be slotted for their normal minutes, but we’re going to have communication.
“Communication with them, communication with our performance staff, and it can be a little bit of a feel.”
Cleveland enters Game 3 still stinging from a brutal 120-119 loss in Game 2, a game they led by seven points with under a minute to play. That collapse put them in a 0-2 hole, one few teams escape from.
But with Garland, Mobley, and Hunter back on the court, the Cavs are no longer limping into battle. They’re loaded, locked in, and looking to flip the script in Indianapolis. The road to recovery may have been painful, but the timing couldn’t be more crucial. Now, the Cavs are looking to strike back.
