Donovan Mitchell made a triumphant return to the Cavaliers' lineup after a brief absence due to an eye bruise, dropping 27 points on 23 shots in a narrow five-point victory. The injury, sustained in a collision with teammate Evan Mobley during practice, had been a concern. Coach Kenny Atkinson mentioned that while Mitchell experienced blurry vision, it wasn’t a serious issue like a scratched cornea, but they needed to give it time to heal.
Mitchell played through the injury in a previous win over the Bucks, where he managed 19 points despite going 4-14 from the field, all while sporting a visibly bloodshot eye.
In other Central Division news, Jaylon Tyson has been a standout for the Cavaliers this season, but a toe injury has complicated his role. Tyson left Thursday's game against the Bulls early, choosing not to push through the pain to avoid hurting his team.
"I'm a competitor," Tyson said. "I had a good opportunity today, so I wanted to be out there."
Despite changes in the lineup with additions like James Harden, Keon Ellis, and Dennis Schroder, Tyson remains focused on contributing whenever he can.
Meanwhile, the Pacers' Obi Toppin is back on the court after missing four months of action. Toppin, eager to return, even practiced shots while using a scooter.
"We didn’t want to rush anything, but we wanted to get a few games in to avoid going into the summer uncertain," said Toppin. With no playoff hopes this season, he’s focused on regaining his form, averaging 9.1 points and 4.2 rebounds in 16.7 minutes per game.
Cavaliers head coach Kenny Atkinson is enjoying the luxury of having two superstars in Donovan Mitchell and James Harden. Reflecting on their recent win over New Orleans, Atkinson noted, "It's nice to have two superstars. In a tough game like that, with a younger or less experienced team, you might lose by a large margin on the last game of the road trip."