Amid questions and some controversy, the Utah Jazz have cleared guard Donovan Mitchell to return to the lineup for Game 2 of the Western Conference quarterfinals.
The Jazz announced Monday that Mitchell will play Wednesday night against Memphis after over a month on the sideline with an ankle injury.
It’s some welcome clarity on what has become a weird situation. After not appearing on the injury report leading up to Game 1, Mitchell was abruptly ruled out, which apparently came as a surprise to his teammates. There were also reports that Mitchell was “incensed” by the late scratch.
Mitchell was Utah’s leading scorer during the regular season, averaging 26.4 points per game. He hasn’t played since suffering the ankle injury on April 16. The Jazz held up alright without him, but the sense of urgency may have been increased after the team’s surprise Game 1 loss, making Mitchell’s return even more vital.
