Donovan Mitchell will miss the Cleveland Cavaliers’ big Friday matchup with the Detroit Pistons. Mitchell is listed as out for the game on the NBA injury report with a groin issue.
Additionally, James Harden is listed as questionable with a fractured right thumb. Also questionable on the report are Keon Ellis (left index finger fracture), Dennis Schroder (ankle sprain), Dean Wade (ankle sprain).
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The Cavaliers (37-23) currently hold the No. 4 seed in the Eastern Conference, 7.5 games behind the NBA-best Pistons (43-14).
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Mitchell also missed Wednesday’s 118-116 loss to the Milwaukee Bucks, the second end of a back-to-back on the schedule following Tuesday’s 109-94 blowout win over the New York Knicks. He has appeared in 55 of the Cavaliers’ games this season, averaging 28.5 points (seventh-best in the NBA), 4.5 rebounds and 5.8 assists while shooting 37% on a league-leading 517 3-point attempts.
Cleveland has been on a hot run going into Friday’s matchup, winning 15 of its past 20 games. The Cavs haven’t lost two consecutive games since Dec. 25-27, falling to the Knicks and Rockets.
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Since being acquired by Cleveland at the NBA trade deadline, Harden has appeared in seven games, averaging 18.9 points, 4.6 rebounds and 8 assists. He’s shooting 49% on 41 3-point attempts. Overall, Harden has played 51 games this season, 44 of them with the Los Angeles Clippers. The Cavaliers have gone 6-2 since he joined the team.
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Evan Mobley is not listed on the injury report after missing Wednesday’s game with left calf injury management. He is Cleveland’s third-leading scorer this season, averaging 17.5 points per game with 8.6 rebounds, 3.9 assists and 1.8 blocks.
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The Pistons have a clean injury report as of Thursday. Isaiah Stewart is out while serving the sixth game of his seven-game suspension for leaving the bench during the Feb. 11 game between Detroit and the Charlotte Hornets.
Detroit has also won 15 of its past 20 games.