Donovan Mitchell Out for Jazz vs. Grizzlies Game 1 with Ankle Injury

Tyler Conway @jtylerconwayFeatured ColumnistMay 23, 2021

Utah Jazz guard Donovan Mitchell works on the court before the team's NBA basketball game against the Portland Trail Blazers on Wednesday, May 12, 2021, in Salt Lake City. Mitchell will miss the final three games of the regular season as he continues to receive treatment for the sprained ankle that has kept him out since April 16, the team said Tuesday. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)

Rick Bowmer/Associated Press

Utah Jazz guard Donovan Mitchell will miss Sunday's Game 1 of his team's playoff series against the Memphis Grizzlies.

Jazz coach Quin Snyder noted Mitchell, who has been sidelined since April 16 with a sprained right ankle, has declared himself "ready to go" and isn't pleased with the decision to be held out of the series opener:

Tim MacMahon @espn_macmahon
Quin Snyder says Jazz medical staff met with Donovan Mitchell after shootaround and decided to hold him out of Game 1. He acknowledged that Mitchell, who declared himself “ready to go” when he talked to media post-shootaround, isn’t pleased with the decision.

The Jazz can't withstand Mitchell being absent for any lengthy period of time during the postseason if they are going to win the title. This is a team that sees a wide-open championship window with the Lakers as the No. 7 seed and no other contender having proved themselves under the playoff lights.

Getting Mitchell a clean bill of health will be paramount in Utah's title hopes.

In the meantime, Utah will rely on Mike Conley, Jordan Clarkson and Joe Ingles in ball-handling roles. That formula was enough to clinch the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference down the stretch of the season, and it will need to be again to hold on to home-court advantage in the series against the Grizzlies.

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