Kenny Atkinson reveals positive injury news for multiple injured Cleveland Cavaliers players, including Donovan Mitchell, Max Strus and Jarrett Allen
Injuries have plagued the Cleveland Cavaliers all season, but with the playoffs just around the corner, they're hoping their injury luck changes.
As of Friday, it's trending in the right direction.
Head coach Kenny Atkinson provided an important injury update following the team's first practice in quite some time. Most notably, star guard Donovan Mitchell was a full participant during the session, as he continues working his way back from a groin injury that has kept him out of the last four games.
6-foot-9 wing, Dean Wade was also 100% involved in the practice after missing three games with a right ankle sprain.
Meanwhile, Max Strus received another positive injury update in his return from foot surgery, as Atkinson revealed he was 90%. Strus has missed the entire season to this point recovering from a Jones fracture suffered just weeks before the team opened up training camp.
Only center Jarrett Allen didn't participate in Friday's practice after he banged knees with a Pistons defender during Tuesday night's win early in the second half. He left the game and did not return.
The good news for Allen, as Atkinson reiterated, is that the ailment is not expected to keep him out long-term, even if he can't go Sunday when the Cavs host the Celtics.
Nursing everyone back to full strength would go a long way in setting up Cleveland for a deep postseason run starting next month. It does come with its fair share of challenges for Atkinson, though, who hasn't been able to fully sort out what his rotations will look like just yet, due to the onslaught of injuries.
"It's a big challenge," said Atkinson. "I can't wait till JA gets back, we'll have our full roster, you get Max, and then we have to make decisions. It'll be tough decisions to make. End of game, but just rotational-wise, kind of what that looks like."
Atkinson has just 19 games left to figure it out, before the Cavaliers begin their postseason run. You won't hear him complaining about it, though.
"That's why they pay us the big bucks as coaches to figure that out," he said. "But like I said, it's a good problem to have."
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