CLEVELAND — The Cleveland Cavaliers coasted through the first half, fell down by double digits, and then turned it on down the stretch to grab their 17th straight win against the Washington Wizards with a final score of 121-111.
Three stars of the game
First star: Evan Mobley
24 points on 8-of-12 shooting, 12 rebounds, 2 assists
Everything about the Cavs changes if Mobley becomes a consistent and lethal three-point shooter. We saw that in Wednesday’s game as he went 5-for-6 from beyond the arc. Through four games, Mobley is 12-for-18 (66.7%) from three.
“There’s a shift in his demeanor,” head coach Kenny Atkinson said. “There’s a confidence to him now. … The jumper looks quicker to me. It’s not just that he’s making them. I think last year he kind of made threes [when he had] time and space. I feel like this year he’s getting it off quicker. He’s making them with harder contests.”
The Wizards had to change their defense to account for this. They didn’t give him the same time and space in the second half, which allowed the rest of the offense to flourish.
On top of that, Mobley, along with Jarrett Allen, made it difficult to finish inside in the second half. Washington attempted just 13 shots in the paint in the second half after taking 31 there in the first.
This was a solid and complete game from Mobley
Second star: Peyton Watson
22 points on 9-of-17 shooting, 6 rebounds, 2 assists
This was the first time we got a real taste of how helpful Watson can be for Cleveland. He was impactful attacking off the dribble, and more importantly, in creating out of the short roll when running pick-and-rolls with the starting backcourt. That was incredibly useful considering how the Wizards — and most of the other teams before them — have been trapping Cleveland’s guards on high pick-and-rolls.
“I loved the offensive part,” Atkinson said. “Getting in the pocket, making plays, driving [against] mismatches. He goes hard to the rim.
Watson also made a difference as an offensive rebounder by creating five extra chances. Three of those opportunities directly led to points. Atkinson has consistently talked about wanting his team to do a better job on the offensive glass. Watson may be the answer here with his height and athleticism.
Watson has a well-rounded and intriguing skill set that the Cavs are still trying to figure out how to use best. The early results are interesting. Watson provides a different dimension to how this team can play. It’ll be interesting to see how the Cavs fine-tune his role as the season progresses.
Third star: Alex Sarr
18 points on 7-of-11 shooting, 4 rebounds, 4 steals, 2 assists, 1 block
Sarr was helpful for Washington on both ends. Offensively, he picked his spots well and finished looks that Trae Young and Kyshawn George created for him. On the other end, he had active hands in passing lanes and deterred shots at the rim. It was a solid game for a young player that is steadily coming into his own.
Dud of the game
James Harden
16 points on 5-of-18 shooting, 6 assists, 2 rebounds, 2 turnovers
Harden had a tough time finding a scoring rhythm. He led the Cavs in shots (18) but completed just 27.8% of them. This included missing a couple of point-blank floaters he normally converts.
It’s unfair to blame Cleveland’s poor defensive start on one person, but Harden left a lot to be desired on that end in the first half. He lost first-overall pick AJ Dybantsa repeatedly off-ball in the first half, which led to easy baskets.
To his credit, Harden was good down the stretch. He got the Cavs into their offense and protected the ball in the second half. It wasn’t an outright awful game — just one where he could’ve been better.
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Cavalier who deserves a shoutout
Meleek Thomas
10 points on 4-of-7 shooting, 4 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal
This wasn’t as noteworthy as Monday’s debut, but it was a really strong showing nonetheless.
Thomas has found a nice balance on the defensive end. He’s not afraid to jump passing lanes and force the action, but this hasn’t come at the expense of losing his man or being out of position. It’s not uncommon for a rookie to be an active defender; it is uncommon for them to consistently be in the right place when they’re away from the play. So far, Thomas’s defensive positioning has been impressive.
Offensively, he did a good job of slotting into more of an off-ball role. He was helpful attacking in transition and was just overall a useful bench player.
At this point, there isn’t a strong case for either Craig Porter Jr. or Tyrese Proctor getting minutes over Thomas. The rookie just adds too much as an offensive threat and active defender.
“We found a guy that can really help us,” Atkinson said.
Play of the game
The Cavs are at their best when they’re regularly turning defense into easy opportunities the other end. That was a hallmark of the 2024-25 regular-season team that turned in 64 wins.
We haven’t consistently seen that version of this team through four games, but little moments like this serve as a reminder that they may still get there.
Quote of the day
“The first few went in, so I just kept shooting them.”
– Evan Mobley on going 5-for-6 from three
Stat of the game
The Cavs won the offensive rebounding battle 15-5, which led to them outscoring Washington 19-8 in second-chance points.
The Cavs thoroughly controlled the glass and the overall possession battle. They outrebounded Washington 58-33. Cleveland won’t lose many games when they rebound like this.
What this game will be remembered for Mobley’s breakout three-point performance
A hot shooting week doesn’t mean much in the grand scheme of things. Outside shooting tends to even out over time, but the incredible variance can lead to drastically different results in small sample sizes. From that perspective, Mobley hitting 11 of his last 14 threes might now mean much.
At the same time, everything about the Cavs changes if he can develop a more consistent three-point shot. Only time will tell whether this start is real.
“We’re going to be really hard to stop,” Atkinson said when asked about how Mobley’s shooting can transform the offense. “If he can do that, hit threes and still be the great defender that he is and should be, then that could be our next jump.”
