The Cleveland Cavaliers will be without their defensive anchor on Wednesday night, as Evan Mobley has been ruled out for the matchup against the Chicago Bulls due to a calf injury. The reigning Defensive Player of the Year is expected to miss at least the next two weeks, and there’s a growing sense that his return might not come until January.
This isn’t just a minor absence for Cleveland - Mobley has been a stabilizing force on both ends of the floor. While calf injuries have been a recurring theme across the league this season, the Cavs are taking a cautious approach with their star big man. And given how important Mobley is to their long-term success, it’s hard to blame them.
But there’s no sugarcoating it: Cleveland needs to find answers - and fast. The team has stumbled out of the gate this season, and with Mobley sidelined, the pressure intensifies on the rest of the roster to step up. That starts with Donovan Mitchell.
Cavaliers star Evan Mobley is expected to miss 2 to 4 weeks with a left calf strain.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) December 13, 2025
Mitchell has been electric this season, averaging 30.7 points per game while shooting an efficient 49.4% from the field and 38.1% from deep. He’s not just scoring - he’s doing it with volume and precision.
He leads the league in made three-pointers per game (4.0), and he’s letting it fly at a high clip, hoisting up 10.6 threes per night. In December alone, that number has climbed to 11.3 attempts per game.
The Bulls, meanwhile, have struggled defensively, particularly on the perimeter. Over their last 10 games, they rank 29th in net rating, and on the season, they sit in the bottom third of the league in both opponent three-point makes and opponent three-point percentage. That’s not the kind of profile you want when Mitchell is coming to town with a green light.
In his only game against Chicago this season, Mitchell dropped five threes on 12 attempts - a performance that fits right in with his season-long trend. He’s hit four or more threes in 14 games already, and with Mobley out, there’s every reason to believe he’ll continue to shoulder even more of the offensive load.
Mobley’s absence will be felt, no question. He’s averaging 19.1 points, 9.3 rebounds, and 4.1 assists per game while shooting nearly 50% from the field and a career-best 35.2% from beyond the arc.
That kind of production doesn’t just get replaced overnight. But the Cavs have no choice but to adapt - and that starts with their All-Star guard taking control.
Cleveland enters Wednesday’s game as a 5.5-point favorite on the road, a nod to both Mitchell’s form and Chicago’s ongoing struggles. If Mitchell continues his December trend, the Cavs have a strong shot at keeping things afloat until Mobley is back in the lineup.