Jazz Donovan Mitchell Will Be Re-Evaluated ‘Day-To-Day’
May 23, 2021, 6:24 PM
Head coach Quin Snyder of the Utah Jazz talks with Donovan Mitchell #45 during the first half of the NBA game against the Phoenix Suns at Talking Stick Resort Arena on October 28, 2019 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
(Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – The Utah Jazz will re-evaluate Donovan Mitchell on a day-to-day basis after being a late scratch from the team’s playoff opener on Sunday night.
The Jazz originally withheld Mitchell from the injury report Saturday night, clearing him for Sunday’s game one, but ruled the guard out just hours before the game.
Traditionally, when a team is unsure if a player will be available the night before a game they will list him as either questionable or probable. Mitchell’s name didn’t appear anywhere on the team’s injury report Saturday night, implying the guard would play.
Donovan Mitchell will miss game one between the @utahjazz and @memgrizz in a stunning afternoon change. #TakeNote https://t.co/3fX6NnaKtE
— Ben Anderson (@BensHoops) May 23, 2021
During his pregame availability, coach Quin Snyder elaborated on the day’s events that led to Mitchell missing game one.
“Our medical staff met following shoot around and relayed the decision to hold Donovan out of tonight’s game,” Snyder said. “Obviously Donovan being the competitor he is wants to be out there and hopefully he’ll be out there soon.”
Rather than day-to-day, the team had been evaluating Mitchell weekly after suffering the injury on April 16 against the Indiana Pacers. The guard was cleared to return to practice on Thursday and went through practice each of the last three days before being scratched after today’s shootaround.
“They’ll evaluate him day-to-day and hopefully get back out there soon,” Snyder said of Mitchell’s immediate future. “But like I said he’s a competitor.”
Quin Snyder on Donovan Mitchell's injury:
"Obviously Donovan being the competitor he is wants to be out there and hopefully he'll be out there soon."
They'll evaluate him day to day. #Takenote | @KSLsports
— Ben Anderson (@BensHoops) May 23, 2021
Game one will be the 17th consecutive game Mitchell had missed with the injury. The team went 10-6 in the guard’s absence, locking up the number one seed in the West and a matchup with the Grizzlies in the first round of the playoffs.
The Jazz and Grizzlies will tip off at 7:30 pm MT, the game will be broadcast on TNT and AT&T SportsNet.
