Cleveland Cavaliers Receive Bad Injury Update Before Game 2 vs. Pacers

The Cavs may be without several of their best players against Indiana.

May 4, 2025; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers forward De'Andre Hunter (12) drives to the basket against Indiana Pacers guard Bennedict Mathurin (00) during the second half in game one of the second round for the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Rocket Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images | Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

The day after the Cleveland Cavaliers' physical 121-112 loss to the Pacers, head coach Kenny Atkinson described Evan Mobley, De'Andre Hunter and Darius Garland as questionable for Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals.

Already missing Garland due to a toe injury, Cleveland was battered and bruised by Indiana on Sunday. Hunter dislocated his thumb after falling on a dunk attempt, while Mobley tweaked his ankle by landing on Myles Turner's foot following a jump shot. On Tuesday morning, just hours ahead of the Cavs' second matchup against the Pacers, none of the three participated in Cleveland's pre-game shootaround.

We did not see any of Darius Garland, Evan Mobley or De’Andre Hunter on the floor at this morning’s shootaround. DG was in the workout room on the treadmill, though. #Cavs https://t.co/yog3as07Wx

— Spencer Davies (@SpinDavies) May 6, 2025

It's a worrying sign for the Cavaliers, who are already in a 1-0 hole in the series. Cleveland was 60-15 with Garland in the regular season, compared to just 4-3 without. The Cavs were also 58-13 with Mobley in the lineup, and just 6-5 without the NBA's Defensive Player of the Year.

When both Mobley and Garland played together in the regular season, the Cavaliers were 54-12. Mobley led the team to a 4-1 record when Garland was out, while the Cavs went 6-3 with Garland in the lineup and Mobley out. Cleveland lost both games it played without the All-Star duo, but one was the regular season finale in which Atkinson rested his starters to prepare for the playoffs.

Cleveland has been at its best this season when all of its stars play together, blending a mix of exciting play-making ability with well-developed chemistry. If Garland, Mobley and Hunter cannot battle through their injuries on Tuesday night, Donovan Mitchell and Jarrett Allen's roles will become much more crucial to escaping Game 2 with a victory.