Evan Mobley ruled out for Cavaliers’ next three games

Mobley, at the earliest, could return Sunday.

As the Cleveland Cavaliers continue towards the end of the season, the will continue to be without star rookie Evan Mobley.

Per an announcement from the team, Mobley will miss the Cavaliers’ game against the Dallas Mavericks on Wednesday, but also the Cavs’ game on Thursday against the Atlanta Hawks and on Saturday against the New York Knicks. That would also seem to make it difficult for him to play on Sunday when the Cavs host the Philadelphia 76ers.

Mobley hurt his ankle on Monday in the Cavs’ win over the Orlando Magic. He left the game, and while x-rays were negative, it appears his sprain is bad enough to keep him out.

This puts the Cavs in a tricky situation. They are already without Jarrett Allen due to a broken finger and are trying to be one of the top-six teams in the Eastern Conference with only a few games left to play. Including Wednesday against Dallas, the Cavs have seven games left. If Mobley misses three games and is able to return Sunday, he’d be available for the Cavs’ last four games. If he misses any more, he may only be able to return for the very end of Cleveland’s season.