Evan Mobley Final Injury Status For Cavs-Clippers

Evan Mobley will return to the Cleveland Cavaliers lineup as they take on the Los Angeles Clippers.

The Cleveland Cavaliers have been patiently waiting for the roster to be back at full strength. Finally, that patience is starting to pay off as one of their key starters is back in the lineup.

Evan Mobley is officially back and is listed as available for the Cavs against the Los Angeles Clippers. He will be on a 20-24 minutes restriction according to head coach J.B. Bickerstaff.

Mobley has been sidelined since December 6 and received knee surgery on December 15. His initial timetable to return was set at six to eight weeks and that schedule has been precisely correct.

Nov 19, 2023; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers forward Evan Mobley (4) stands on the court in the fourth quarter against the Denver Nuggets at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-USA TODAY Sports / © David Richard-USA TODAY Sports

Now, Mobley will need to reacclimate himself with a Cavs team that looks dramatically different from what it did when he last played for them at the beginning of December. Cleveland's personal is largely the same, but their game plan looks much different. This Cleveland team is taking many more three-pointers and is playing at a much faster pace.

Long-range shooting has never been something that Mobley has been great at. However, it's also not something that he's been consistently doing in NBA games. The third-year power forward has only attempted 1.2 threes a game in his career.

It would not be surprising if developing more of a long-range shot is now on the table for Mobley and Cleveland's coaching staff.

We can talk all day about what Mobley could do in the future. But right now let's focus on what the Cavs are getting back in the lineup. Mobley is one of the best defenders in the game, is underrated when it comes to distributing the basketball and is savvy in the paint down low.

It's great news that Mobley is back on the floor. Now, Darius Garland needs to return to have a complete wine and gold unit this is something Bickerstaff says is, "extremely close."