Is Donovan Mitchell playing tonight against New Orleans Pelicans? Cavaliers 5x All-Star's status (March 13)

As the NBA 2023–24 regular season enters its final stretch, Donovan Mitchell's return could be crucial for the Cleveland Cavaliers. However, as of now, the star guard has been listed as questionable to play against the New Orleans Pelicans. As the tip-off approaches, we will have a clear picture of whether Donovan Mitchell is going to suit up or not.

After two consecutive losses, the Cavaliers travel to Smoothie King Center in the hopes of resuming their winning ways. However, defeating the Pelicans will be difficult, since they are on a four-game winning streak.

But, despite the recent struggles and the injury-ravaged Cavs, they still hold the third spot in the Eastern Conference table, trailing 0.5 games behind the Bucks for the second spot and 10.0 games behind Boston for the top spot.

A win against the Pelicans on Wednesday could be key to regaining the momentum that seems to have gone missing in previous games.

What happened to Donovan Mitchell?

Donovan has missed the last seven matches with a bone bruise in his left knee. Mitchell has resumed on-court practice following a platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injection.

The five-time All-Star started with a light workout last week and has been ramping things up for his return. He appears to be nearing his return, but his availability for tonight's game remains questionable.

Donovan Mitchell stats vs New Orleans Pelicans

Donovan Mitchell has played 20 games against the Pelicans, averaging 24.3 points, 4.4 assists and 4.2 rebounds. His best scoring performance against the Pelicans came in 2020, when he dropped 46 points for the Utah Jazz.

Despite a lack of roster depth, the Cavs have had a successful season thus far. However, their inability to win games without their top guard remains the main concern. The Cavaliers are 9-9 without Mitchell this season.

His return should be a big boost for the Cavs, along with other absentees such as Max Strus, Evan Mobley and Dean Wade.

It’s a fixture that swings in the Pelicans' favor as long as recent performances are concerned. Tip-off between the Pelicans and Cavs is at 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time, and the game will air on BSNO and BSOH.