The Evan Mobley Leap Is Upon Us
There's a unicorn amongst us, and he resides at Rocket Mortgage Field House. No, this isn't the empty proclamation or wishful thinking that it may have been in the past amongst Cavs fans; this version of Evan Mobley is for real. The 4th-year player out of USC, who many in Northeast Ohio have marveled at his all-defensive team brilliance in his time in Cleveland, is now witnessing his confidence on the offensive end catch up in real-time. The once-timid, almost-passive third option that occupied the dunker spot from seasons past is now a legitimate offensive threat in the most dynamic offense in the NBA. His impact growing more and more as the season wears on.
Mobley is now averaging 18.3 points a night, with a TS% of 63.3% (both career highs), with an aggressive mindset not seen before in the big man as he's consistently barreling his way to the rim and stretching his shot from outside the arch, becoming the frontcourt player-maker the Cavs organization envisioned for him. All of this is even further punctuated by his colossal 41-point performance against the Charlotte Hornets on Saturday, which included six three-pointers (another career-high), a shining example, a culmination showcase of Mobley's game that has been slowly brewing in the season's first quarter.
His shooting is probably the most significant thing to highlight. We all knew he was elite as a rim-attacking big, but his shot has taken the most significant leap over the calendar year. Before this season, his career-high in 3-point field goals was a measly 23; he has now hit 22 three-pointers in just 24 games. On 2.3 attempts, he is now shooting 40%, most of them on catch-and-shoot attempts, of which he is shooting a blistering 44.4%. Something that Kenny Atkinson has been encouraging throughout the season, "We need his gravity," Said Atkinson, "When the playoffs come against these elite rim protectors and they stay back in the paint, you got to keep them honest." The added element to his game is paying off so far; it is another exciting wrinkle for a team that is the NBA's leader in 3-point percentage.
The Cavs are already one of the biggest stories of the early season, but the ever-evolving Evan will be the team's greatest accomplishment. If this trend continues, the first-seed Cavaliers will not be just an exciting Eastern Conference contender but also a Finals contender. Many members of Cleveland's brass, from front-office executives to the players, know that Mobley will be the reason they raise another banner in the future, and if you had any doubt of that before his Saturday performance, then you better jump on before it's too late.