Mitchell expected to be ready

CLEVELAND (AP) — Donovan Mitchell is expected to be ready for the Cleveland Cavaliers’ playoff run despite missing the last four games of the regular season with a sprained left ankle.

The all-star guard was injured on April 6 during the second half against the Sacramento Kings. He worked out on the court before Sunday’s game against the Indiana Pacers after getting a full workout in at the team’s training facility on Saturday.

“I think he’ll be full on with practice. We’re going to have to scrimmage at some point, probably inter-squad with refs, so he’ll participate in that,” coach Kenny Atkinson said. “The most important thing is how we build him up with the ankle rehab and then conditioning.”

Mitchell was one of nine players, including four starters, that Cleveland sat out for Sunday’s regular-season finale. The Cavaliers (63-18) will go into the playoffs as the top seed in the Eastern Conference for only the fourth time in franchise history and first since winning the NBA title in 2016.

As the No. 1 seed, Cleveland’s first playoff game is not expected to be until April 20 since the eighth seed in the East won’t be determined until the final play-in tournament games on Friday.

Mitchell leads the Cavaliers in scoring, averaging 24 points per game. He is the only player in the league averaging at least 24 points in 32 minutes or fewer.

Penguins limp to the finish

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Elias Lindholm had a goal and an assist, Joonas Korpisalo made 24 saves and the Boston Bruins beat the Pittsburgh Penguins 4-1 on Sunday.

Fabian Lysell, Morgan Geekie and Jakub Lauko also scored for the Bruins, who ended the Penguins’ three-game home winning streak. David Pastrnak and Pavel Zacha each had two assists.

Rickard Rakell had the lone goal for Pittsburgh and Tristan Jarry made 28 saves.

The Bruins never trailed after Lindholm put them ahead 1-0 with 3 seconds left in the first period when he deflected a pass from Pastrnak just outside the crease and put his wrister past Jarry.

Lysell and Geekie scored about three minutes apart in the second period to give Boston a three-goal lead.

Rakell cut the Penguins’ deficit to 3-1 with 6 seconds left in the second period, but Lauko’s empty-netter with 2:30 left sealed it for the Bruins.

Takeaways

Bruins: Pastrnak has a career-high, five-game multipoint streak. He joined former teammates Brad Marchand and Patrice Bergeron as the three players to pull off the feat for the franchise over the last 30 years.

Penguins: Rakell has been a bright spot, setting a career high in goals with 35 to break his previous mark from seven seasons ago when he was an All-Star for Anaheim.

Key moment

Lysell, the No. 21 overall pick in 2021, scored his first NHL goal in his 11th game midway through the second period to put the Bruins ahead 2-0.

Key stat

Pittsburgh didn’t reach double digits in shots in the first or second periods, leading to a 3-1 deficit entering the third.

Up next

Bruins: Host New Jersey on Tuesday night, ending Boston’s first season without a playoff bid since 2016.

Penguins: Host Washington on Tuesday night, closing Pittsburgh’s third straight year without a postseason appearance in its longest drought since 2002-06.

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AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl