Flight delays related to the nationwide ground stop affected the Cavaliers’ trip back to Cleveland after playing in Miami Friday night. As a result, Donovan Mitchell, James Harden, Jarrett Allen and Peyton Watson will all sit out tonight’s game against Dallas, according to Christian Clark of The Athletic (Twitter link).

The Cavs weren’t able to fly out of Miami until 9:00 a.m. on Saturday and didn’t arrive home until around noon, which was less than eight hours before game time, Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com writes in a subscriber-only story. That added to the fatigue of a three-game road trip that began Monday in Charlotte.

“This is unprecedented,” Mitchell said after Friday’s game. “Back-to-back. Three-hour flight. It was already going to be a tough one. But if they say we have to play, then we have to play.” 

Mitchell believes the league should have rescheduled tonight’s contest in light of a Federal Aviation Administration decision that was beyond the team’s control.

“Never in my time in the league,” Mitchell responded when asked if he’s been through anything like this before. “I think the craziest travel thing I’ve ever had was the COVID situation. Make adjustments. Figure it out. Go from there.”

Other players grumbled about the revised travel plans, which included booking another night at a Miami hotel, Fedor adds. Members of the organization were calling around the city Friday afternoon in an effort to make emergency arrangements, but the team was ultimately able to stay at the same place.

An unidentified player compared the situation to “AAU basketball,” but Tyrese Proctor took a different approach, saying the players have to be ready for any obstacle that confronts them.

“If we’re playing, then we have to play,” Proctor added. “As soon as the ball goes up, we have to compete and come out with a win, no matter the circumstances. They are tough circumstances, having to travel the day of the game. But it is what it is.”