All-Star's injury could let Knicks nose their way past Cavaliers

New York's first-round opponent from last season, the Cleveland Cavaliers, are going to be without All-Star Donovan Mitchell for at least a week as he deals with a broken nose. At the same time, the Knicks are about to get a Mitchell of their own back on the floor.

Mitchell Robinson has been out since early December after having surgery on his fractured ankle, but the big man returned to his first full-contact practice of 2024 on Wednesday. That's a welcome sight for the Knicks, who have been missing three starters with injuries. Julius Randle is working on the court but hasn't been cleared for contact, while OG Anunoby is out with elbow pain, though an MRI came back negative.

A week ago, the Knicks were in danger of falling into the play-in tournament, but they're in reach of the third-place Cavs after winning three straight road games on the West Coast. That's crucial in the Western Conference, as finishing third would mean avoiding the Boston Celtics in the second round.

With Mitchell in the lineup, the Cavs have gone 33-16, a .673 winning percentage that would trail only Boston in the East. Without him, they're a pedestrian 10-9.

There's no word yet how much time Mitchell's nose will keep him out. In the meantime, the Knicks can smell the No. 3 seed.