NBA East-leading Cavaliers forward Isaac Okoro to miss at least 2 weeks with right shoulder sprain

CLEVELAND (AP) — The Cleveland Cavaliers will be without forward Isaac Okoro for several weeks after he suffered a sprained right shoulder.

Cleveland Cavaliers' Isaac Okoro (35) reacts after scoring during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Brooklyn Nets, Monday, Dec. 16, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Pamela Smith)

The Cavs, who have the NBA's best record at 23-4, said Thursday that Okoro sustained a sprain to his right AC joint during the third quarter of Cleveland's Dec. 16 win at Brooklyn.

He'll be re-evaluated in two weeks and the team said it will update his status and return “as appropriate.”

Okoro is one of the team's best defensive players and he's become much more dependable on offense. He's averaging 6.6 points, 2.3 rebounds and 21 minutes through 23 games with 16 starts.

The No. 5 overall draft pick in 2020, Okoro has diligently worked on his outside shoot the past two years and has made great progress. He's making a career-best 49% of his 3-point attempts this season.

Cleveland Cavaliers forward Isaac Okoro (35) celebrates after hitting a three-point basket late in the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Washington Wizards, Friday, Dec. 13, 2024, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)

An unrestricted free agent last summer, Okoro signed a three-year, $38 million contract to stay with Cleveland in September.

While the Cavs could be without Okoro for the near future, small forward Max Strus is on the verge of making his season debut after being sidelined with a severe ankle injury sustained during a preseason workout.

Strus has been practicing the past two weeks and had been expected to play last week before his return was delayed.

On Wednesday, first-year Cavs coach Kenny Atkinson said Strus was “awfully close” to playing. Last season, Strus averaged 12.2 points and 4.8 rebounds in 70 starts for the Cavs. He spent the three previous seasons with Miami.

The Cavs host the Milwaukee Bucks, who won the second NBA Cup earlier this week, on Friday and Philadelphia on Saturday.

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