It’s a new season for the Cleveland Cavaliers. But does that mean we’ll be seeing a brand new Evan Mobley, too?
Mobley came out guns blazing in his season opener. He attempted 13 of his 18 field goals in the
first half, only slowing down once Donovan Mitchell started scoring in bunches during the third quarter. Even then, Mobley showed no hesitation pulling up from the three-point line in the fourth quarter. He attempted three triples in the final frame.
We can nitpick the results. Mobley finished the night with 22 points on 8-of-18 shooting. Relatively inefficient for his standards.
He certainly could have taken easier shots, with only four attempts coming in the paint. This isn’t a complete outlier for Mobley — he started to show signs of increased range last season — but it’s only the third time in his career that he attempted 8+ three-pointers in a game. He also took six mid-range field goals last night. Mobley attempted just 34 from that zone the year before.
This is no accident. The Cavs spent all summer telling us that Mobley would be more confident. Mobley himself has reassured that sentiment throughout — all the way to opening night, where he displayed an almost delusional confidence in his jump shot.
Take this, for example:
Mobley could have taken his time and worked to punish Jalen Brunson in a mismatch. Instead, he pulled up for a quick three-pointer early in the shot clock. This wasn’t the right time for Mobley to hurl a deep one. But he did it anyway — and that’s new for Mobley.
When, if ever, have you scratched your head at a Mobley shot attempt?
It’s rare that Mobley goes rogue or presses the issue. He has done many great things already in his young NBA career. But he’s never been accused of playing hero ball. That’s just not his game. At least, it wasn’t before.
You might have questioned some of Mobley’s shot selection last night. And that’s okay.
Inefficient nights are part of the process. Mobley is learning how to establish himself as a volume scorer. The occasional misfire is going to happen.
Watch any of the league’s most dominant stars and you’re bound to see them attempt a shot that feels a little overzealous, even by their own standards of greatness.
That’s the level that Mobley is trying to reach. There’s going to be some growing pains along the way.
Trial and error is the only path towards improvement. There’s a delicate balance that Mobley has to strike between himself and Mitchell as Cleveland’s leading stars. They won’t find that balance if Mobley isn’t daring enough to insert himself into the mix.
Mobley actually shot the ball well from deep last night, for what it’s worth. But he could have been more aggressive in getting to the rim. And he shouldn’t have allowed the offense to get away from him in the second half. Only five field goal attempts in the final 24 minutes is something that can’t happen with Mobley.
Yet, even with his slight disappearance in the second half, Mobley took 18+ field goals in the season opener. That’s something he only did six times last season.
The Cavs need Mobley to be ‘the guy’ on any given night. This could mean they lose a few more games than last season while they experiment with his usage. But these reps will pay dividends once the playoffs start.
If you want to raise this team’s ceiling, then Mobley’s gunslinger attitude in game one is the best approach. Let’s hope he stays aggressive and trusts the process.
