Tuesday, November 19th is an NBA Cup Night. That means the stakes will be even higher for the Cleveland Cavaliers as they hit the road to take on the Boston Celtics. But it seems the 15-0 start wasn’t enough of a target on the team’s back already. Evan Mobley’s comments to ESPN’s Tim Bontemps on Tuesday will have even more people watching the action at TD Garden.
When asked what he wants viewers to take away from the game in which the Celtics will try and end Cleveland’s perfect start, Mobley was bold and clear in response.
“That we’re a real contender. It’s not a fluke or anything, we’re not a fluke,” Mobley said. “We’re coming out here to get wins and get better every day…The end goal is that we’re true contenders.”
The Cavaliers lead the league in points per game, field goal percentage, and three point percentage so far this season. Head Coach Kenny Atkinson has galvanized a group comprised of mostly the same players as last season. Part of that has involved empowering Evan Mobley, who’s on track to have the highest usage rate of his career (22.8).
The Cavaliers are at their best when Mobley is playing like he thinks he can be an All-Star, something Atkinson correctly identified coming into the season. It seems part of Mobley playing like an All-Star is talking like one too.
Evan Mobley’s improvement is propelling the Cavaliers to perfect start
Ken Blaze-Imagn Images
The list of areas in which Evan Mobley is on pace to post career-best numbers is comically long. His average field goals made and field goals attempted are higher than ever before, even if you only look at 3-pointers. He’s shooting 81.8% from the free throw line, which he’s never topped over a full season. Unsurprisingly, both his average made and attempted free throws are career-high marks as well.
Mobley’s game has expanded to include taking the ball up the court and helping the Cavaliers get into their actions at times. He’s still getting accustomed to the additional offensive responsibilities. Sometimes, he needs to be encouraged to take them on.
In November 2’s game against the Bucks, Garland convinced Mobley to advance the ball himself so the two could get right into a dribble hand-off action. Result? Two points for the Cavs.
Mobley’s 3-point numbers aren’t record-breaking. The 23-year old big man is only taking 1.7 shots from behind the arc per contest. But he’s making 37.5% of those shots, enough for the defense to have to respect him out there. That and his newfound willingness to take elite opposing defenders to the basket are a great combination.
In that same game against Milwaukee, Mobley took both Brook Lopez and Giannis Antetokounmpo on trips to the basket and got them each a bucket at the gift shop. The drive on Antetokounmpo came right after Mobley stopped a drive of his at the rim.
Two-way sequences like these from Evan Mobley need to become more of a regular occurrence than a novelty if Cleveland wants to compete deep into the NBA’s postseason. But Kenny Atkinson and Evan Mobley both seem to be aware of that. And Mobley’s play is showing it so far this season.
