Faced with the prospect of a hole in the 0-2 series, Cleveland riders will play the Pacers Indiana Tuesday in digital disadvantage.
Darius Garland (Orteil), Evan Mobley (ankle) and'Andre Hunter (Pouce) Will all miss the game 2 Due to injuries.
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Garland has not played since match 2 of the first round series of Cleveland against the Miami Heat because of a large, strolled toe. On Tuesday, there will be a fourth consecutive match.
The absence of Garland was not as notable in the first round as Cleveland submerged a team of heat surpassing without him. Match 1 against the powerful Indiana attack was another story. Cleveland was struggling to match Indiana's firepower and posted its first loss of the playoffs with Garland on the bench.
Mobley suffered his ankle injury at the end of Sunday's defeat. Mobley jumped for a hook shot with Myles Turner defending him in the fourth quarter. Mobley struck the shot but landed on the left foot of Turner and rolled his left ankle.
Mobley continued to play, but was notably hampered by his ankle. Coach's coach Kenny Atkinson argued on Monday that Turner should have been whistled for a fault on the game that led to Mobley's injury.
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“Turner disputes his shot in two points, is below – clearly under him,” said Atkinson. “The shooters need space to land. And is unbalanced – in our opinion – and refine his ankle quite badly. I think you have seen him build the rest of the game.”
Atkinson said Mobley had continued to play because he wanted to stay in the game closely disputed in the section.
“There was a big push to get him out. He wanted to stay.
Hunter was also injured in Sunday's match on another game which, according to Atkinson, justified a whistle but did not shoot one. He landed hard on the ground in the fourth quarter after having had his attempt as Dunky by Benédict Mathurin blocked and dislocated his left thumb.
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The Mathurin block with his right hand was clean, but he pushed Turner into the chest with his left hand before the block while the two players were in the air.
Mathurin was not whistled for a fault.
Like Mobley, Hunter continued to play after suffering his injury. But it will not be available for a critical game 2 while Cleveland even seeks to improve the series before it moves to Indianapolis.
