Cleveland Cavaliers coach Kenny Atkinson stated Monday that key players Evan Mobley (big man) and De`Andre Hunter (forward) are questionable for Game 2 against the Indiana Pacers due to injuries suffered in the opening game. Atkinson specified Mobley`s ankle injury and Hunter`s dislocated thumb, expressing dissatisfaction with the circumstances of these injuries.
`I don`t think they were dirty plays, but I think it passed the line of physicality, that line we`ve kind of been talking about where it became excessive,` Atkinson told reporters.
Approximately four minutes into the fourth quarter of the Cavaliers` 121-112 defeat, Mobley attempted a jump hook over Indiana`s Myles Turner and landed on Turner`s ankle.
`Turner contests his 2-point shot, comes under — clearly under him,` Atkinson stated. `Shooters need space to land. And [Mobley] is pushed off-balance, in our opinion, and tweaks his ankle pretty bad. I think you guys saw him limping the rest of the game. There was a big push to get him out. He wanted to stay in.`
On Cleveland`s subsequent offensive possession, Hunter drove for a fast break layup, contested by the Pacers` Bennedict Mathurin. Contact occurred – specifically, Mathurin`s left arm made contact with Hunter`s chest – yet the officials did not call a foul. Atkinson challenged the play, but the officials ultimately deemed the contact marginal.
`Everyone in the world, just look at that play,` Atkinson remarked. `And they reviewed it, and I`m just, like, in shock. I don`t know, and I guess I gotta know the rules better. Maybe I don`t know the rules. I felt he got absolutely obliterated and dislocated his thumb.`
Atkinson described these injuries as `unfortunate for us` but was careful to avoid placing blame on the Pacers team.
`I don`t think this is on Indiana,` he stated. `I have so much respect for how they play. They`re hard-playing dudes. Myles Turner is a hard-playing dude. But the fact of the matter [is] I think that`s on the referees.`
He added that it was `hard for me to get my head around` the reality that two Cavaliers players are now questionable for Tuesday`s game stemming from two plays where no fouls were called.
Cavaliers guard Darius Garland has been absent for the last three games due to a sprained big toe. On Sunday, Atkinson informed reporters the All-Star was `desperate to play,` but described the injury as a `day-to-day thing,` emphasizing, `we don`t want him out there at 60%, 50%.` On Monday, Atkinson noted it was `tough to gauge where he is` as the team`s practice on Monday was more like a shootaround.
Garland will also be listed as questionable for Game 2, according to Atkinson.
Jasper Hawthorne