Donovan Mitchell probable to return Saturday vs. Pistons with hand injury

Update: Mitchell is officially probable to return, although we’ll see how much playing time he actually gets with Cleveland up big on Detroit Saturday.

Update: Mitchell has returned to the bench but given Cleveland’s lead, he’s unlikely to get back in this game.

Cleveland Cavaliers shooting guard Donovan Mitchell went to the locker room in Saturday’s game against the Detroit Pistons with a hand injury. Mitchell entered the day recovering from a groin injury but was available for the game.

This is obviously a huge situation for the Cavaliers, who are fighting to maintain homecourt advantage in the first round of the playoffs in the Eastern Conference. Mitchell was Cleveland’s big offseason acquisition and vaulted the team into contender status, even if the other pieces around him still need to develop. Mitchell had 20 points, four assists and three rebounds in 24 minutes of action.

If he doesn’t return, look for the Cavaliers to deploy Isaac Okoro and Caris LeVert in his place. Cleveland is well ahead of Detroit in this game and likely won’t risk Mitchell if there’s a chance he could aggravate this injury. If he’s out for a while, Darius Garland will take on a bigger role in the offense.