The Cleveland Cavaliers find themselves in a precarious situation going into Game 5. Boston is in the lead with a 3-1 record, and all they have to do is win it tonight. Scheduled to tip off at 7:00 PM ET at TD Garden, the Cavs find themselves severely shorthanded. Yes, Donovan Mitchell is on the injury report. Shams Charnia of the Athletic reported him to miss the game because of a calf strain.

Donovan Mitchell suffered the injury in Game 3, which led to him sitting out Game 4, resulting in a loss for the Cavs. With him out tonight as well, the Celtics can easily eliminate the Cleaveland side. Up until Game 3, he’s been doing incredibly well, averaging 31.7 points, 6.3 rebounds and 5.3 assists. Offensively, the Cavaliers put up 102 points even without Mitchell present in Game 4. Darius Garland had carried the load in his absence, bringing in 30 points for the team. Despite the best efforts, it was a loss, yes, but it wasn’t an easy one.

Coach Bickerstaff had high praise for Garland post-game, claiming, “He put pressure on them offensively, made them make tough decisions … he did a great job of sparking us and carrying us with spirit”.

As Cleveland gets ready to face the Celtics on their turf, the former’s injury report does not do them much favor. Aside from Mitchell with a strained calf, Jarrett Allen too seems to be out because of his rib injury. Allen has missed 7 games so far. Jarrett Allen had bruised his ribs badly in Cleveland’s opening series against the Orlando Magic. The Cavs hoped that the All-Star center would be available soon. Unfortunately, he remained off the floor for the whole series and is yet to suit up against Boston. Evan Mobley replaced Allen.

Others who are on the list are Craig Porter Jr. (ankle sprain) and Caris LeVert (knee bone bruise). Mitch, Allen, and LeVert have the ‘Questionable’ tag, while Porter is ‘Doubtful’. With so many key players out of the matchup tonight, the fate of the ‘City of Champions’ seems like a sealed deal.

But despite the shortcomings, their coach, J.B. Bickerstaff feels, “They’re a connected group that has been resilient all year long”. He feels the team has stepped up on multiple occasions when needed.

The Cavaliers’ depth chart

Even with such disappointing news ahead of Game 5, Garland seems hopeful, and that isn’t completely off base. Game 4 was close and the main reason was Cleveland’s attempted team playoff-record 48 shots from downtown. Out of them, 15 treys were successful. So, when the Cavs’ starting point guard was asked what the team would need for tonight, he said, “The same aggressiveness, the same attitude.” 

Having said that, let’s take a look at how the depth chart for ‘The 216’ will be.

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Although the Cavaliers might end up losing tonight, they have certainly earned the respect of their opponents. Even with several players out, the aggressiveness and fight Cleveland brought into the match had the championship favorites really grind it out to get the victory.

What do you think the outcome of Game 5 will be? Even if the Cavs fight tooth and nail, will they be able to stand their ground against an almost healthy and full-bodied roster? Let us know your predictions for the night!