Donovan Mitchell

Mitchell will be unavailable, as will the other four typical starters for Cleveland. Rookie Meleek Thomas should get the starting nod in place of Mitchell. Thomas has been excellent this season, and this should be a good opportunity for him.

Mitchell is listed as questionable with left knee injury management. Given the Cavaliers’ crowded injury report, Tyrese Proctor and Craig Porter Jr. could see more minutes Saturday.

Mitchell had 25 points, seven assists and five three-pointers, but was also -20 in 32 minutes in the loss to the Heat on Friday. The 30-year-old guard has scored at least 25 points and made five three-pointers twice in his last four games. The Cavaliers will face the Mavericks at home on the second night of a back-to-back on Saturday.

Like backcourt partner James Harden, Mitchell rebounded nicely from a disappointing effort in Monday’s loss to the Hornets. With the Cavaliers getting good contributions from their bench, Spida didn’t have to overextend himself offensively. As a result, he was efficient as a scorer and playmaker while recording a complete stat line.

Like the other Cavaliers starters, Mitchell did not play at all in the fourth quarter. He and his backcourt partner, James Harden, had brutal first halves, scoring five points each while shooting a combined 2-of-13 from the field. They were more productive in the third quarter, but the damage was already done. The good news for fantasy managers is that Cleveland plays three more games this week.

Mitchell was outstanding on Saturday, but he didn’t get much help in the 109-97 defeat. No other Cavaliers player scored more than 12 points, and James Harden (seven points, two rebounds, five assists, two blocks and one three-pointer) shot 2-of-9 from the field. Cleveland plays four games next week, starting with the Hornets on Monday.

Mitchell didn’t have his most efficient night, shooting 1-for-6 from three and committing four turnovers. That said, category-league managers will be pleased with the Cavaliers guard’s rebounds and assists. Mitchell will look to have a cleaner outing on Saturday when the Cavaliers host the Knicks in their final game of the week.

Peyton Watson will return to action on Friday but Jarrett Allen (knee) was ruled out. The Cavs will replace Jarrett Allen and Tyrese Proctor with Sam Merrill and Peyton Watson who will have the difficult task of stopping Jaylen Brown and LeBron James.

Mitchell led the Cavaliers in scoring and had a nice game overall with 27 points on 17 attempts, five three-pointers and six assists. Unfortunately, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the Thunder to victory with a 43-point effort. Mitchell’s fantasy managers will take it, though. The Cavaliers are off Thursday before starting a back-to-back against the 76ers and Knicks at home Friday.

This was Mitchell’s first game with double digit assists this season. His shooting, however, left something to be desired in the loss to the Thunder. Mitchell had 17 points on 17 attempts, though he did sink four three-pointers. The Cavaliers have three more games this week, beginning with a rematch against the Thunder on Wednesday.

After a relatively inefficient first half, Mitchell was better after halftime. He scored 10 points on 4-of-8 shooting and recorded four assists and one turnover. By comparison, Mitchell shot 2-of-5 from the field and committed four turnovers in the first half. This was his first game this season not scoring at least 20 points, and Mitchell will look to start a new streak on Thursday against the Hawks.

Cleveland had the “rest advantage” for Monday’s game, as Minnesota played the day prior, and that may have eventually caught up to the Timberwolves. Mitchell scored 12 of his 26 points in the second half, including seven in the fourth quarter. Shooting 5-of-9 from beyond the arc, Spida finished with a complete stat line in the 127-125 overtime win, a good start to Week 2.

As with many of his teammates, Mitchell’s season-opening game was a tale of two halves. During the first half, he went off for 22 points, shooting 7-of-9 from the field and 6-of-7 from the foul line. After halftime, he shot 4-of-10 from the field, scoring 10 points. The Cavs were outscored 69-37 in the second half, losing a game they led by as much as 29. Mitchell’s overall stat line will please fantasy managers, but it could have been even better.

Mitchell played 25 minutes in this exhibition and was able to get off to a hot start, though he didn’t have as much success in his limited second-half action. Mitchell did more playmaking in this game as well and should continue to be a solid source of assists this season, though his dimes did drop off after they traded for James Harden. He’ll have nine days off before the regular season starts for them in Philadelphia next Thursday.

Cleveland had four of its five projected starters available for Thursday’s exhibition opener, with James Harden held out. Mitchell and the other starters logged 17 minutes against the Celtics, which limited their individual stat lines. Mitchell has first-round potential in 12-team leagues, especially since he will start the season with Harden as his backcourt sidekick.

This is a monster extension for Mitchell, and he’ll have a player option for the 2030-31 season. That would have him making north of $75 million when he’s 34 years old. It may not age well, but Cleveland is going to be competitive for at least the next few years, and the commitment to winning could help them lure LeBron James back home.

Mitchell had 31 points on 18 attempts, but was also -23 in 32 minutes as the Cavaliers’ season ended with a 130-93 loss to the Knicks at home in Game 4. Mitchell had four turnovers and James Harden and Evan Mobley combined for eight turnovers. He was named to the All-NBA second-team over the weekend and becomes extension-eligible this summer. Mitchell is headed towards an offseason of uncertainty as questions about the future direction of the team will have to be answered.

The three players the Cavaliers count on the most offensively struggled with their efficiency in Game 3. Mitchell committed five turnovers, with James Harden and Evan Mobley doing the same. Cleveland’s miscues led to New York scoring 17 fast-break points, besting the Cavaliers by 13 in that category. Mitchell also shot 3-of-10 from beyond the arc, and the inefficiency was too much to overcome in this matchup. For Cleveland to extend the series with a win on Monday, they’ll need a far better version of Mitchell than the one they’ve received in the first three games.

After blowing Game 1, the Cavaliers could not find their stroke in Game 2. Mitchell, who scored 19 points in the second half, was the exception, as Cleveland shot 38.8 percent from the field as a team. New York, which erased a 22-point deficit in the opener, grabbed control of Game 2 with an 18-0 run during the third quarter. Mitchell did what he could to pull the Cavaliers to as close as seven, but the hole was too deep to climb out of completely. While there have been some concerns that he may have tweaked something in his lower body during Game 1, Mitchell said after Thursday’s defeat that he’s fine. The usual explosiveness was not there, but it’s clear that he isn’t going to make any excuses. Cleveland will look to defend home court when it hosts Game 3 on Saturday.

Mitchell was highly productive on Tuesday. In his 41 minutes, he led the Cavaliers in points, was their most productive three-point shooter, and was massive on the defensive end, recording seven stocks. Yet Mitchell and his teammates struggled to generate enough two-way production to protect a 22-point fourth-quarter lead, which led to an overtime period and an eventual loss for the Cavaliers. Mitchell shot 1-of-6 and tallied two total points in the fourth quarter and overtime combined. He’ll have a chance to bounce back and help Cleveland try to even the series on Thursday.