Is Evan Mobley playing tonight against LA Clippers? Latest on Cavaliers All-Star’s status (March 18)

Cleveland Cavaliers big man Evan Mobley is listed as "questionable" for tonight’s matchup against the Los Angeles Clippers due to a right foot contusion. The injury likely occurred during Cleveland’s 133-124 victory over the Memphis Grizzlies on Mar. 14 and forced him to miss the following game against the Orlando Magic.

The Cavs struggled without Mobley and suffered a 108-103 loss that snapped their impressive 16-game winning streak.

If Mobley is unable to play tonight at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, it will mark his third absence in March. The former USC standout has already missed multiple games this season due to various injuries, including a four-game stretch in January (calf), two games in December (ankle sprain) and one in November (illness).

The Clippers, currently in strong form with six wins in their last seven games, would gain an advantage if Mobley remains sidelined. A Cleveland loss would mark their first back-to-back defeat since late January. However, with a comfortable 7.5-game lead in the Eastern Conference standings, the Cavaliers can afford to prioritize Mobley’s full recovery.

In either case, the Cavs would not want to begin their five-game Western Conference road trip with a loss.

Evan Mobley draws praise from Kevin Garnett

Evan Mobley is having a career-best season and he has played a crucial role in the Cleveland Cavaliers' impressive turnaround. Alongside Donovan Mitchell and Darius Garland, Mobley has helped lead the team to championship contention and an NBA-best 56-11 record.

His outstanding individual performance earned him widespread praise from fans, analysts and even some of the game's greatest players. NBA legend Kevin Garnett was among those recognizing Mobley's game. Indeed, KG had lofty compliments for the 23-year-old on his podcast.

“He's (Evan Mobley) taking his game to another level. Big fella, we see you keep going. You're certified… Big fella, keep being a motherf**king monster out there,” Garnett said on his podcast.

Mobley's performance has earned him his first All-Star selection in the 2024-25 season. In 59 games, the 6-foot-11 center is averaging 18.6 points, 9.3 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 1.6 blocks per game.