Cavs' Donovan Mitchell Day-to-Day with Calf Injury After Missing Game 4 vs. Celtics

Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell is considered day-to-day with his calf injury, head coach JB Bickerstaff said after Monday’s loss to the Boston Celtics.

The update comes after Mitchell missed Game 4 due to a left calf strain, as ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski first reported. The Celtics hold a 3-1 series lead ahead of Wednesday’s Game 5.

Defeating the top-seeded Celtics even at full strength was a daunting task for the Cavaliers, so the latest injury is quite the blow.

Mitchell has been brilliant throughout the playoffs and has carried the team’s offense for extended stretches. He poured in 50 points in Game 6 of Cleveland’s first-round series against the Orlando Magic and then helped close out the No. 5 seed with 39 points, nine rebounds and five assists in Game 7.

It has been more of the same against the Celtics.

The Louisville product averaged 31.7 points, 6.3 rebounds, 5.3 assists and 1.0 steals while shooting 51.5 percent from the field and 53.3 percent from deep through the first three games against the Celtics and is a primary reason Boston isn’t going for a sweep in Monday’s contest.

Frankly, this all but ends the Cavaliers’ realistic chances at advancing to the Eastern Conference Finals.

Even if Mitchell returns for Game 5, Cleveland likely isn’t going to win three straight with two of the contests on the road against this loaded Celtics team.

Boston didn’t lose three games in a row a single time all season.