The NBA’s top team will be without its best defensive stopper for at least two weeks.
Cleveland Cavaliers forward Isaac Okoro suffered a sprained right shoulder during the third quarter Monday’s 130–101 win over the Brooklyn Nets. A MRI exam on Wednesday confirmed a sprain of the right AC joint, according to the team.
Okoro, soon to be 24, is considered one of the team’s best defensive players. That could be a factor with the Cavaliers set to face stars including Damian Lillard, Tyrese Maxey, Jamal Murray, Stephen Curry and LeBron James in upcoming games on their schedule.
“It gives you such a comfort level to have that guy you can stick on somebody, whether it’s Trae Young, so whether it’s a point guard or we can say, ‘Hey, go guard Jayson Tatum tonight,’” said Cavaliers head coach Kenny Atkinson, via Cleveland.com.
“Isaac can guard fours, he can also switch onto fives because he’s so strong,” he added. “We can use this guy as our Swiss army knife. He can guard anybody. He’s been great for us.”
While Okoro averages 6.6 points per game, he’s consistently been a good 3-point shooter and has improved that part of his game this season. The fifth-year veteran is shooting 49% (30-of-61) from long range this season.
“With Isaac being out, we have to continue to take our physicality to another level,” Donovan Mitchell told the Cleveland Plain Dealer’s Ethan Sands. “He’s a guy that [has been] knocking down shots and teams want to leave him. You obviously miss him on the defensive end, but offensively, he’s been playing phenomenally for us.”
The Cavaliers say Okoro will be re-evaluated in two weeks. He re-signed with Cleveland during the offseason, agreeing to a three-year, $38 million contract.
In the meantime, Cleveland could get a key player back while Okoro is sidelined. Max Strus, who hasn’t played yet this season because of an ankle injury, is close to returning. Last season, Strus averaged a career-high 12.2 points while shooting 35% on 3s.
