Can the Cleveland Cavaliers' surprisingly strong start to 2021-22 survive another season-ending injury to a key guard after Ricky Rubio was diagnosed with an ACL tear?
Cleveland's 20-14 record, good for fifth in the Eastern Conference, has come largely without starting guard Collin Sexton. Sexton suffered a meniscus tear in his left knee early in November and opted for a meniscus repair, knocking him out the remainder of the season.
In Sexton's absence, Rubio had only become more important to the Cavaliers. Added in a draft-day trade, Rubio was averaging 13.1 points per game -- decimal points off his career high -- as well as 6.6 assists per game while both backing up starting point guard Darius Garland and playing alongside him in some of Cleveland's strongest units.
With Garland currently subject to health and safety protocols, the Cavaliers are momentarily out all three of their top guards. Garland will be back before long, but Rubio joins Sexton on the sidelines for the remainder of the season.
What will that mean for Cleveland's attempts to reach the playoffs for the first time since LeBron James' departure in 2018? How about for Rubio's future headed into unrestricted free agency? Let's break it down.