Donovan Mitchell Available for Jazz After Missing Game 1 with Ankle Injury

Rick Bowmer/Associated Press

After being held out of Sunday's 112-109 Game 1 loss with an ankle injury, Utah Jazz guard Donovan Mitchell will be available to play against the Memphis Grizzlies in Game 2 on Wednesday.

Brian Windhorst and Tim MacMahon of ESPN reported Mitchell—who has not played since April 16—was "incensed" that the team held him out of the series opener.  

It also appeared as though Utah players were caught off guard by the decision to hold Mitchell out of Game 1. Rudy Gobert called the move "a big surprise," while Mike Conley said it was a "game-changer" to not have Mitchell.

Mitchell discussed the situation on Monday.

"Honestly, I was ready to go and the staff didn't feel like I was ready," he said. "That's it. There wasn't anymore to it."

Fortunately for the top-seeded Jazz, though, they will now get their star back as they look to rebound from a disappointing Game 1.

Mitchell appeared in 53 games during the regular season and averaged 26.4 points, 5.2 assists and 4.4 rebounds per game behind 43.8 percent shooting from the field and 38.6 percent shooting from three-point range.

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It was a career season for the two-time All-Star prior to the injury, which is one reason Utah clinched the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference.

Mitchell's return will provide a nice boost to the Jazz rotation, which already features the likes of Conley, Gobert, Jordan Clarkson and Joe Ingles.