INDIANAPOLIS — The Cleveland Cavaliers couldn't catch a break in the first half of Game 4 against the Pacers, and they didn't catch one in the second half either as All-Star guard Donovan Mitchell left the game with an injury.
Mitchell played 20 minutes in the first half of Sunday's game, scoring 12 points with one rebound, one steal, no assists and two turnovers. It was a sloppy half for the entire Cavs team, who entered halftime down 80-39 to Indiana.
Things got worse when Mitchell didn't play in the second half. He came out originally for halftime warmups, but a video appeared to show him tweaking his ankle while trying to take some warmup shots. He didn't come back out of the locker room as the second half began and wasn't on the bench as the Cavs took the court, and midway through the third quarter, the Cavs announced he sustained a left ankle injury.
Mitchell was listed as doubtful to return with the ankle injury and remained out for the rest of the game.
After the Cavs dropped Sunday's game 129-109 to the Pacers and fell to 3-1 on the series, Mitchell left the arena in regular shoes. He was not wearing a walking boot, a good sign in terms of the severity of the injury.
Head coach Kenny Atkinson said that Mitchell will have an MRI on his left ankle on Monday to learn more.
"It's tough for sure. Donovan's our leader. He's the head of the snake for us, so it's always tough for us to see him go down. But we know he's still our leader. He's tough and we'll see," Isaac Okoro said after the game.
The Cavs face an elimination game on Tuesday with a Pacers win in Game 4—with or without Mitchell.
