NBA Playoffs 2021: Utah Jazz guard Donovan Mitchell ruled out for Game 1 vs. Memphis Grizzlies

#Mitchell

The Utah Jazz will be without All-Star guard Donovan Mitchell for Game 1 of their first-round series against the Memphis Grizzlies.

Mitchell earlier told reporters he was "ready to go" for Game 1, before the Jazz announced shortly after that he would miss the game.

The 24-year-old hasn't played since April 16, missing the final 16 games of the regular season with a high right ankle sprain. In those games, the Jazz went 10-6 with Joe Ingles, Bojan Bogdanovic and Jordan Clarkson taking on more of the scoring load. 

Utah head coach Quin Snyder told reporters Mitchell "isn't pleased with the decision" to hold him out of Game 1.

 Mitchell returned to practice last week, confident he would be healthy for Game 1, adding that there was still some soreness in his ankle, having not played in five weeks. 

“The biggest thing is I feel good,” Mitchell said. “Like I said the other day, the best part about it is there’s always going to be soreness when you come back from an injury like this, there is always going to be things that haven’t been activated in — what has it been, five [weeks]? But I feel good.”

Prior to his injury, Mitchell averaged a career-high 26.4 points, 4.4 rebounds and 5.2 assists in 53 regular-season appearances. 

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