Evan Mobley is out again for the Cavaliers with a left toe sprain
Evan Mobley is out again for the Cleveland Cavaliers, sidelined for Saturday’s game against the Dallas Mavericks with a left toe sprain. It is his second straight absence, after the NBA’s official injury report listed him out for the Friday game against the Miami Heat.
Mobley got hurt on Wednesday, November 11, 2026, in the final minutes of a 115-107 Cavaliers win over the New York Knicks. He went up for a block, came down hard and sprained the big toe on his left foot. In that game he finished with 10 points, 5 rebounds and 1 block.
Kenny Atkinson calls it a sprain, not expected to be long-term
Kenny Atkinson, the Cavaliers coach, gave an update on Friday, November 13, before the team’s game in Miami. He said the injury is a sprain and that Mobley is sore. “It’s a sprain, so he’s definitely sore and all that,” Atkinson said. The team does not expect the problem to be long-term.
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Magnetic resonance imaging tests on Mobley’s foot did not show significant damage. The Cavaliers have not announced a return timetable for the forward, who has been ruled out of the lineup since the injury.
The NBA’s official injury report, released on Thursday, November 12, first listed Mobley out for the Friday game against the Miami Heat. He was declared out again for the Saturday game against the Dallas Mavericks, his second straight absence. The Cavaliers have not set a timetable, and the next date on the availability forecast is Monday, November 16, against the Chicago Bulls, a date the club has not confirmed. Jarrett Allen, the Cavaliers center, was listed as questionable for the Dallas game because of a knee injury.
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Atkinson’s update came on Friday, November 13, 2026, before the game in Miami, so it is not the most recent news on Mobley. The latest development is his absence from the Saturday game against Dallas, which was reported on November 14, 2026. The club has not announced a return date, and it has not said how many more games Mobley will miss.
Mobley’s numbers fall below his season averages
Over his last three games, Mobley averaged 10.3 points and 5.3 rebounds. His season averages are 16.9 points and 7.3 rebounds, so the recent output sits well below his usual production for the Cavaliers power forward.
Why the “great toe sprain” label raises alarm for the Cavaliers
The term “great toe sprain” tends to worry fans, because the Cavaliers have dealt with cases of that injury before. Darius Garland and Jaylon Tyson had similar problems with the team in the past. Atkinson said the severity of Mobley’s case is different from those earlier situations, and he did not describe it as a long-term problem. The comparison is historical, not recent, and it is the reason the label draws so much attention among followers of the team.
Evan Mobley’s return could come Monday, Nov. 16, against the Bulls
- Thursday, Nov. 12: the NBA’s injury report lists Mobley out for the Friday game
- Friday, Nov. 13: Cavaliers play the Miami Heat without Mobley
- Saturday, Nov. 14: Cavaliers play the Dallas Mavericks without Mobley
- Monday, Nov. 16: next possible date for Mobley, against the Chicago Bulls, according to the availability forecast
The Cavaliers have not confirmed that Monday date, and the team has not set a timetable for Mobley’s return. The game time against the Chicago Bulls has not been confirmed either.
