Donovan Mitchell explodes with 45 points in Cavaliers victory against Orlando
27 Jan. 2026
Nicolas Flamecourt
Evan Mobley injured with calf strain, Cavaliers without their interior
Evan Mobley is suffering from a left calf strain and will be out for one to three weeks. The reigning Defensive Player of the Year for the Cleveland Cavaliers was injured during Monday night's victory against the Orlando Magic.
Photo Credit : © David Richard-Imagn Images
The Cleveland Cavaliers will have to make do without their defensive pillar Evan Mobley for the coming weeks. The 6’11 » power forward injured his left calf during the 114-98 victory against the Orlando Magic Monday night, and an MRI performed Tuesday confirmed a strain that will keep him off the court for one to three weeks.
A recurrence that worries Cleveland
This injury is unfortunately not a first for Mobley this season. The 24-year-old had already missed five games in December due to a grade 1 strain in the same left calf. This recurrence comes at the worst time for the Cavaliers, who are about to begin a five-game road trip on the West Coast after hosting the Los Angeles Lakers Wednesday night.
Mobley had felt discomfort in his calf after the game against Orlando, where he had nevertheless shone with 20 points, 9 rebounds and 2 blocks in 35 minutes. This performance had allowed him to reach the symbolic milestone of 500 career blocks, becoming the youngest player in franchise history to achieve this feat.
The Cavs have announced Evan Mobley injured his left calf Monday night and will miss approximately 1-3 weeks
The blows never stop in Cleveland.
(@cavs) pic.twitter.com/UIJAtb2obW— SleeperCavs (@SleeperCleCavs) January 27, 2026
A tough blow for the Cavaliers’ momentum
The absence of the reigning Defensive Player of the Year comes at a particularly bad time for Cleveland, which had just regained form with four consecutive victories. The Cavaliers currently have a record of 28 wins and 20 losses.
Mobley is averaging 17.9 points, 8.8 rebounds and 4 assists in 42 games played this season. The NBA‘s second-best shot blocker with 2.0 blocks per game, his defensive presence will be sorely missed. The team has a record of 3 wins and 3 losses without him this season.
If the injury were to keep him off the court for a full three weeks, Mobley would miss seven games and would not return until after the All-Star Game break. This absence could also jeopardize his potential participation in the All-Star game, even if he were to be selected.
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