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Cavaliers big man\u00a0<\/span>Evan Mobley<\/a> is expected to be sidelined for an extended period after spraining his left ankle on Tuesday against the Celtics, league sources tell\u00a0<\/span>Shams Charania, Joe Vardon, and Jason Lloyd of The Athletic<\/a>.<\/p>\n As The Athletic\u2019s reporters note, the Cavs haven\u2019t issued a formal update on Mobley\u2019s status beyond ruling him out for Wednesday\u2019s contest in Atlanta. Per Charania, Vardon, and Lloyd, an official timeline likely won\u2019t be determined until his ankle’s \u201csignificant\u201d swelling has subsided.<\/p>\n However, one source tells The Athletic that \u201cit will be some time\u201d before Mobley can return, while another said he\u2019ll be \u201cout a while.\u201d<\/p>\n Mobley suffered the injury in the third quarter on Tuesday when he landed awkwardly following a made dunk (video link via NBA.com<\/a>). He reportedly left the arena on crutches after the Cavaliers erased a 22-point deficit and completed a dramatic comeback win over the NBA\u2019s top team.<\/p>\n It\u2019s discouraging news for a third-year big man who missed a month-and-a-half earlier this season due to a separate injury. Mobley underwent arthroscopic surgery on his left knee and was unavailable for 22 consecutive games in December and January.<\/p>\n In the 38 games he has played, Mobley has been a key part of Cleveland\u2019s starting lineup, averaging 15.6 points, 10.2 rebounds, and 3.1 assists in 31.1 minutes per night.<\/p>\n With Mobley on the shelf, Jarrett Allen<\/a>\u00a0<\/span>will again take on more responsibilities in the Cavs\u2019 frontcourt, as he did earlier in the year. Dean Wade<\/a>, a huge factor in Tuesday\u2019s comeback with 20 points in the fourth quarter, is another candidate for an increased role.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n