Donovan Mitchell, Isaac Okoro Return To Cavs Practice Before Lakers Game

The Cleveland Cavaliers got some good news on Friday afternoon, as Donovan Mitchell and Isaac Okoro were able to come back to the floor.

On Friday afternoon, the Cleveland Cavaliers had two major pieces back on the practice floor following their absences. 

All-Star guard Donovan Mitchell and bench-unit booster Isaac Okoro returned to action for the first time in a while. 

Mitchell had been missing in action due to a right hamstring strain he sustained at the end of a four-game road trip in Portland on Nov. 15. 

Okoro hasn't seen game action in three weeks since the NBA In-Season Tournament opener at Indiana. He's been dealing with a sore left knee that, according to one source close to the team, "just needed some rest." It turned into a longer absence than some may anticipated, as Okoro has missed nine games in a row. 

"I apologize, but I'm not a doctor," Cavs head coach J.B. Bickerstaff said on the injury. "I think it's something that we'll always be aware of and just kinda see how he's feeling. But he's feeling good now, we'll give him the opportunity to go out and play and we'll just take it day by day."

Bickerstaff described what he wanted to see from both Mitchell and Okoro in practice.

"Just how they can react at speed," Bickerstaff said Friday. "If there's any hesitation, if there's anything that's lingering. But those guys have played so much basketball that it comes back pretty quickly."

Jan 16, 2023; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers forward Isaac Okoro (35) shoots a three point basket as guard Donovan Mitchell (45) reacts to the shot during the second half against the New Orleans Pelicans at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse / Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports

Luckily, it looks like both players are on the mend and appear to be ready to go sooner rather than later.

"We'll see," Bickerstaff said of whether or not the two will suit up Saturday vs. the Los Angeles Lakers. "Everything is how do they respond to what happened today, tomorrow. So we'll see."