Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell misses 2nd straight game with a strained hamstring

Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell, left, drives to the basket as Portland Trail Blazers forward Toumani Camara defends during the first half of an NBA basketball game in Portland, Ore., Wednesday, Nov. 15, 2023. (AP Photo/Craig Mitchelldyer)

CLEVELAND (AP) — Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell will sit out his second straight game with a right hamstring strain, missing Cleveland's game against the Denver Nuggets on Sunday night.

Mitchell, a four-time All-Star in his second season with Cleveland, ranks eighth in the league in scoring at 29.2 points per game and is tied for fifth in steals at 2.0.

The 27-year-old has been bothered by his right hamstring since the first week of the regular season, sitting out three total games because of it.

The Cavaliers have had their starting lineup together five times because of injuries to Mitchell, point guard Darius Garland and center Jarrett Allen. Garland and Allen have missed five games apiece.

Evan Mobley, Max Strus and reserve Georges Niang are the only Cleveland players to appear in their first 12 games.

Denver will also be short-handed as shooting guard Jamal Murray was inactive for the sixth consecutive game because of a right hamstring strain. Murray is traveling with the Nuggets on their five-game trip.

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