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Darius Garland and Evan Mobley will be in focus as the Cleveland Cavaliers take on the Brooklyn Nets at home on Thursday. The Nets are coming off a 134-127 loss to the Portland Trail Blazers and will look to redeem themselves in an intraconference clash against a Cavaliers outfit who have won three games in a row. However, they will be without the services of two of their stars.
According to ESPN's updated injury report, Garland has been ruled out of Thursday's matchup against the Nets, and Mobley will be on the mend for at least six to eight weeks. The guard and the forward have missed 11 and 15 games for Cleveland respectively. Guard Ty Jerome (ankle) has also been ruled out.
What happened to Evan Mobley and Darius Garland?
All-Defensive big Evan Mobley has been one of the notable absentees for the Cavaliers this season. He is expected to be a long-term absentee after undergoing arthroscopic surgery on his left knee.
Darius Garland, meanwhile, suffered a fractured jaw during the third quarter when they played the Boston Celtics at the TD Garden. A CT scan revealed that he would require a procedure to heal the affected area and would need at least four weeks after which he would be re-evaluated.
When will Evan Mobley and Darius Garland return?
Mobley last played a game against the Orlando Magic on Dec. 6, 2023. Eight weeks of recovery would see him start ramping up activity only by the end of February. The Cavaliers will have a better picture sometime in March. As for Garland, expect the guard to miss the remainder of January and return sometime in February, given his four-week recovery timeline.
The injury blows come as a dampener for the Cavaliers, but they have managed to stay on the winning side. They have won seven of their last 10 games, and are on a three-game winning streak. The likes of Max Strus, Isaac Okoro, and Dean Wade have been sharing the load, with Donovan Mitchell and Jarrett Allen doing the bulk of the scoring.
Evan Mobley and Darius Garland's stats vs Brooklyn Nets
In six regular-season games against the Nets, Mobley has averaged 15.7 points, 7.5 rebounds and 2.2 assists. This season, he has played 21 games, averaging 16.0 points, 10.5 rebounds, and 1.7 blocks.
Garland has averaged 21.4 points, 6.3 assists, and 2.6 rebounds in 10 games against the Nets. This season, he averages 20.7 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 5.9 assists.
Guess the Lakers players!
