Evan Mobley is in the midst of a breakout season and it’s no wonder the Cleveland Cavaliers sit atop the NBA standings.
His numbers may not jump off the page, but the third overall pick in the 2021 draft has been one of the most impactful players in the league, especially on the defensive end.
In 31 starts, Mobley is averaging a career-high 18.4 points, 8.7 rebounds, 2.9 assists, 1.5 blocks and a steal per game. He’s also shooting 60.6 percent on two-pointers, 43 percent on threes, and has upped his free throw percentage from under 70 percent for his career to 78.2 percent this season.
“I feel like what’s changed is just my confidence level,” Mobley told ESPN’s Malika Andrews on NBA Today. “Just trusting in all the hard work that I’ve put in through this offseason. I try to treat every day as if it’s another day to get work in and then I go out there and do what I do.”
Growth In The Margins
Beyond just improving his individual scoring and shooting percentages, under the guidance of new head coach Kenny Atkinson, Mobley has been tasked with initiating the offense because of his ability to make the right reads.
An outside shooting stroke that now has to be respected has greatly aided his ability to operate from the top of the arc while also easing the ball-handling duties of Darius Garland and Donovan Mitchell.
His 3-point shooting has not come at the expense of his inside game. Per Cleaning the Glass, Mobley is still attempting 58 percent of his shots within four feet of the basket, which is the same as last season. He’s just traded midrange shots for threes. His midrange shot frequency has decreased by 10 percent from last season to 23 percent and his threes from above the break have increased from five percent last year to 13 percent this season.
Evan Mobley had himself a CAREER DAY 🗣️
🔥 41 PTS (career high)
🔥 6 3PM (career high)
🔥 10 REB
🔥 3 BLK
🔥 69.6 FG%@cavs win their 4th straight and are an NBA-best 21-3! pic.twitter.com/gfmInmIQr2— NBA (@NBA) December 7, 2024
Mobley Is A Defensive Kingpin
Mobley entered the league with huge expectations defensively and he has largely delivered on those. This season, he is among the top contenders for Defensive Player of the Year.
At 7 feet tall with a 7-foot-4 wingspan, Mobley is also athletic and mobile enough to hang on the perimeter, even if he specializes in protecting the rim. Tasked with defending some of the best inside scorers in the league, the 23-year-old understands the magnitude of the challenges he faces on a nightly basis but isn’t intimidated by them.
Among the 96 players who have contested at least 120 shots within six feet of the basket this season, only San Antonio’s Victor Wembanyama (49.1 percent) betters Mobley’s 49.6 defensive field goal percentage. In fact, even on all field goals attempted, Mobley and Wembanyama are neck and neck with the Cavs forward’s 41.6 percent just a tad behind the San Antonio center’s 41.5 percent.
“Going into those matchups, those are great guys, you gotta respect them,” Mobley said. “But, you also have to have confidence in yourself. These are great guys in the league and they’ve been doing numbers in the league but you also gotta know that you’re up next.”
Cavs Feeling Like Top Dogs
Cleveland has won eight straight to improve to 29-4, including an imposing 17-1 at home. That leaves the defending champion Celtics five games behind, though Boston did end the Cavs’ 15-0 start with a 120-117 win on Nov. 19.
Looking big picture, Mobley was also asked by Andrews on whether the Cavs are indeed the team to beat in the East.
“Yeah, definitely,” Mobley said. “Having that historic run to start the season and where we’re at right now, we’ve been playing great so far. The goal is staying consistent, not get complacent and take it game by game.”
