Cavs’ Donovan Mitchell Targeting Return This Week

Per Shams Charania of The Athletic, All-Star guard Donovan Mitchell is targeting a return from knee and nose injuries for Friday’s home game against the Philadelphia 76ers.

Mitchell missed time with the knee injury, returned for two games, then it was determined the knee still wasn’t “right.” Anyone who saw Mitchell in those two games knew it, given that he admittedly lacked the same explosiveness.

Of course, in one of those games he got smacked in the nose, accidentally, by teammate Tristan Thompson. The result was a nasal fracture for Mitchell.

Anyway, the good news is he may be getting ready to play again, and man, the Cavs could sure use him. It’s been an uneven run — to say the least — without him and fellow starter Max Strus, also expected to return this week.

The Cavs (44-28) enter Wednesday’s road game against the Charlotte Hornets in third place in the Eastern Conference, just a half-game ahead of the New York Knicks, and 1.5 ahead of the Orlando Magic for fifth.

Mitchell, 27, is averaging 27.4 points, 5.3 rebounds, 6.1 assists and 1.8 steals this season, shooting 47 percent from the field, 37 percent on 3-pointers and 86 percent from the free-throw line.