Cavaliers hope PRP injection will help Donovan Mitchell’s left knee

Cleveland Cavaliers coach J.B. Bickerstaff said Monday that veteran guard Donovan Mitchell received a platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injection to treat a left knee bone bruise.

His bone bruise is classified as a “wear and tear” injury rather than one from a specific play. The injection was the best move after the five-time All-Star struggled to play through the injury.

“You’re always obviously concerned, but we’re confident these next steps will be the steps that are necessary [to get him healthy],” Bickerstaff said before Tuesday night’s 105-104 comeback win against the league-leading Boston Celtics.

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— Cleveland Cavaliers (@cavs) March 4, 2024

“It was one of those things where he was trying to play through it, but he just was hampered and you could see he couldn’t explode, he couldn’t move in certain directions because of the pain and how it was limited. I’m not a doctor, but from everything that I’m hearing, the time, the rest and the process should give him back to full strength.”

Following the PRP injection, the Cavaliers announced on Monday that Mitchell would miss at least three games: Tuesday’s matchup against Boston, Wednesday in Atlanta, and Friday versus the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Additionally, his knee will be re-evaluated after the three-game slate. Bickerstaff said his return will be determined on how his knee recovers and how it responds to contact.

Cleveland Cavaliers star Donovan Mitchell is at risk of being ineligible to make an All-NBA team

“I don’t like to overstep my bounds, but at the end of the third game or three games, they’ll reevaluate him and then we’ll make a decision from there,” Bickerstaff said. “Again, I am hopeful. I do not expect this to be a long break. But we will always do what’s best by our guys to make sure they’re healthy.”

Mitchell first appeared on the Cavs’ injury report ahead of a March 1 matchup with the Detroit Pistons. Now, the Louisville product is slowly recovering. The PRP injection should help his recovery process.

However, his latest knee injury puts him at risk of being ineligible to make an All-NBA team. After Friday, he already will have missed 16 games. Players can miss a maximum of 17 games in a season.

Cavs coach JB Bickerstaff says Donovan Mitchell was trying to play through his bone bruise but that he couldn’t explode the way he wants to, and the hope is that this gets him back to full strength.

Says this is a “wear and tear” injury as opposed to one from a specific play.

— Tim Bontemps (@TimBontemps) March 5, 2024

This new player participation policy was implemented during the offseason for most of the league’s top individual honors and awards. The rule includes MVP, All-NBA, and Defensive Player of the Year.

Through 47 games (all starts) this season, Mitchell is averaging 28 points and career highs of 5.4 rebounds, 6.2 assists, and 1.8 steals per game. Plus, he’s shooting 47.2% from the field and 37.1% beyond the arc.

In Cleveland’s 111-102 win over the Brooklyn Nets on Jan. 11, the seven-year veteran recorded a season-high 45 points, 12 rebounds, six assists, and four steals in 40 minutes of action.

After this week’s games, the Cavaliers host the Phoenix Suns on Monday, March 11.