Is Donovan Mitchell Playing Today? (Latest Injury Updates and News for Cavaliers vs. Rockets on Jan. 26)

Is Donovan Mitchell Playing Today? (Latest Injury Updates and News for Cavaliers vs. Rockets on Jan. 26)

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The Cleveland Cavaliers continue their road trip on Thursday when they head south to face the Houston Rockets. One player to keep an eye on for this game is Cavs star Donovan Mitchell, who's dealing with a groin injury.

Donovan Mitchell Injury Update (1/26/2023)

Mitchell's playing status for Thursday's contest is up in the air as he continues to battle a groin injury. He missed three games with the ailment before returning to action against the New York Knicks on Tuesday. The three-time All-Star didn't appear affected by the injury, going 24-8-8 in 38 minutes.

Unfortunately for Mitchell, he seems to have re-aggravated his injury and is listed as a game-time decision for Thursday. It's also possible that head coach J.B. Bickerstaff may be inclined to give Mitchell a night off after carrying such a heavy load on Tuesday.

Donovan Mitchell Fantasy Outlook and Prop Bets Today

While there haven't been many updates on Mitchell since he played, it appears that the Cavaliers are playing it safe with their star shooting guard. They may not want to push him against the lowly Rockets, who have the worst record in the NBA at 11-37. Cleveland also has another tilt on Friday against the Oklahoma City Thunder, so perhaps Bickerstaff wants Mitchell healthy for that game instead.

There are no player props listed yet for Thursday's game on FanDuel Sportsbook's NBA odds, but if Mitchell does play he may be on some sort of minutes restriction. He'd likely also get pulled early if the game turns into a blowout as expected.

For DFS, Mitchell's FanDuel salary is listed at $8,600. That's a reasonable price if he plays, but fantasy gamers should look elsewhere to non-injured players if they're filling out their lineups earlier in the day. Teammate Darius Garland ($8,400) is a better option instead, especially after averaging 25.3 points and 11.0 assists in the three games Mitchell was out.

Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.