Cleveland Cavaliers Injury Report (Jan. 22): Are Darius Garland and Evan Mobley close to a return?

The Cleveland Cavaliers are without two of their starters in Darius Garland and Evan Mobley because of injuries. However, that hasn’t slowed the Cavs at all. Cleveland is on a seven-game win streak, the longest in the NBA. It started a four-game road trip Saturday with a matchup against the Atlanta Hawks. The Cavaliers won 116-95 behind Donovan Mitchell’s 18 points, six rebounds and eight assists.

Before the start of the road trip, Cleveland coach JB Bickerstaff had some encouraging updates on Darius Garland and Evan Mobley.

As per Bickerstaff, Garland didn’t join the team on the road trip. He is instead in Cleveland, ramping up his work alongside assistants and medical staff. It’s possible for Garland to return to the lineup against the LA Clippers on Jan. 29 at home.

Mobley underwent arthroscopic knee surgery to remove a loose body on Dec. 18. The Cavaliers’ statement at the time gave a six to eight week timeline for his return. The statement read:

“Mobley has missed the Cavaliers previous four games and is expected to be out approximately six to eight weeks. His status will be updated as appropriate.”

The third-year Cleveland Cavaliers forward was, however, seen practicing just five weeks after the surgery. Bickerstaff told reporters that Mobley was a full participant in non-contact drills. The coach refused to say when Mobley would return.

Going by JB Bickerstaff’s comments, Darius Garland could be back as early as the end of January. Evan Mobley has some way to go before he is cleared for contact drills, but there are encouraging signs already, and it won’t be foolish to anticipate a return at around the eight-week mark from the surgery.

Caris Levert (wrist) is questionable and Ty Jerome is ruled out with an ankle injury for the Cleveland Cavaliers’ game against the Orlando Magic on Monday.

What happened to Cleveland Cavaliers’ Darius Garland and Evan Mobley?

Darius Garland has missed 15 games straight after fracturing his jaw in a game against the Boston Celtics on Dec. 14. Garland injured his jaw while driving to the basket at the beginning of the third quarter.

He collided with Boston’s Kristaps Porzingis and fell to the floor. He stayed on the floor for some time and was sent to the locker room. Though he did return to play the entire fourth quarter.

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Garland’s return to the floor made it look like the injury wasn’t serious. The Cleveland Cavaliers announced on Dec. 15 that the guard would miss several weeks with a fractured jaw.

Evan Mobley underwent arthroscopic knee surgery on Dec. 18 to remove loose bodies from his left knee. Mobley hasn’t featured in Cleveland’s past 19 games. He last played on Dec. 6 against the Orlando Magic.