CLEVELAND — Editor's note: the Locked On Cavs podcast in the video player above is from Nov. 9, 2021.
The Cleveland Cavaliers' promising start to the 2021-22 season took a hit on Monday when forward/center Evan Mobley left the team's loss to the Boston Celtics with an injury to his right elbow. On Tuesday, the Cavs announced that an MRI revealed that the rookie big man has suffered an elbow sprain and is expected to miss approximately two-to-four weeks.
The 20-year-old Mobley's injury occurred when he became tied up with Celtics big man Enes Kanter in the fourth quarter of Cleveland's 98-92 defeat at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. The Cavs had entered Monday night's matchup having won six of their previous seven games, with the loss dropping Cleveland's record on the season to 9-6.
Mobley's injury comes at a time in which the Cavs' rotation has already been decimated by injuries and illness just one month into the season. On Monday, Cleveland was without guard Collin Sexton (knee), center Jarrett Allen (illness) and forward Lamar Stevens (ankle), as well as forwards Kevin Love and Lauri Markkanen, who each remain in the NBA's COVID-19 protocols.
According to Cavs head coach J.B. Bickerstaff, Allen will not play in Wednesday night's matchup against his former team, the Brooklyn Nets. Love and Markkanen, however, are expected to make their returns to Cleveland's lineup at some point this week.
The No. 3 pick of the 2021 NBA Draft, Mobley has enjoyed a standout rookie season through the first month of his NBA career. In 15 games, the 6-foot-11 forward/center has averaged 14.6 points on 49.4 percent shooting to go along with 8.0 rebounds and 1.6 blocks in 33.7 minutes.