Why is Donovan Mitchell not playing tonight vs Pistons? Latest status of Cleveland's star guard explored - March 1, 2024

The Cleveland Cavaliers will enter their matchup against the Pistons undermanned as Donovan Mitchell will reportedly miss the contest. The All-Star shooting guard was unavailable for back-to-back games against the Orlando Magic and Philadelphia 76ers on Feb. 22 and 23 and played three straight games before being listed as out for their upcoming game.

He was initially listed as questionable prior to being downgraded to out due to soreness of the left knee. Mitchell saw 44 minutes of action during his last game, which was the Cavs' 132-123 loss against the Chicago Bulls on Wednesday.

Mitchell joins backup guard Caris Levert (elbow) on the list of players who won't be suiting up for the Cavs against the Pistons.

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When will Donovan Mitchell return?

There is no clear timeline for how long Donovan Mitchell will be out due to his left knee soreness. He will be working with the team's medical staff to get back into playing condition but the team has not given a definite answer on how many games or weeks he might miss.

Mitchell could be ready to go again when the Cavs host the New York Knicks on Sunday. However, this is not yet definite and is simply a possibility, depending on how well he recovers from the soreness in his left knee.

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How will Donovan Mitchell's absence affect the Cleveland Cavaliers against the Pistons?

The Detroit Pistons are barely a team that anyone worries about but the Cavs shouldn't take them lightly as an upset can come from anywhere in the NBA.

Without Donovan Mitchell, the Cavs lose their best offensive weapon. He is leading the team in points per game with 28.0 and is averaging almost 10 points ahead of the next guy on the list, Darius Garland with 18.1 points per game.

So far this season, Garland and Mitchell are also tied in assists per game with 6.2 apiece.

The Cavs are fifteenth in the league in offensive rating (115.8), but the team could perform below this mark in Mitchell's absence. However, the Cavs' real strength is in their defense, which is rated as number three in the league right now at 110.7.

If their defense can hold up against the struggling Detroit Pistons, the Cavs can still win without their All-Star guard.

It is also worth noting that the Cavs lost the last in back-to-back games the last time Donovan Mitchell didn't suit up.