The Cleveland Cavaliers getting back Evan Mobley against the Los Angeles Clippers is a huge shot in the arm confidence-wise for a team already on a roll. Since he hasn't played competitive basketball in over a month, Mobley will be somewhat limited against Los Angeles, with Cleveland head coach J.B. Bickerstaff saying that the big man will play, at most, 24 minutes in his highly-anticipated return to the court.
While that's roughly six minutes per quarter at most, Mobley can be a key difference-maker against a Clippers team with a fearsome trio of Kawhi Leonard, Paul George, and James Harden.
But considering how dominant Mobley is defensively when he's at full strength, his acting as a wrecking ball in his first game back after his surgery shouldn't come as a surprise – Mobley's defensive upside is what catalyzed the Cavs into the spot they're in in the first place. While Cleveland still carries that defensive mentality every night, their offensive production is starting to hit at the same level.
Dean Wade has been in the starting lineup in Mobley's stead, taking roughly 4.3 three-pointers per game, connecting on 48.1%, and spacing things out for his teammates. While Mobley can take three-pointers since it's been something he's worked on since entering the NBA, it's not a part of his offensive game he's overly reliant on.
Mobley makes his return
For his career, Mobley averages 1.2 three-point attempts per game and has only hit 23.0% of them. With Cleveland's star big man entering a more three-point-heavy attack on offense, the expectation is for the Cavs big man to start taking more three-pointers, right? Well, in the eyes of Bickerstaff, it is, but it won't happen immediately.
“We want all of our guys to be aggressive, competent versions of themselves,” said Bickerstaff. “But, we also aren't going to put guys in positions where they feel uncomfortable or awkward. So with Evan, we've proven to be good enough offensively with him and J.A. on the floor with them playing the short game, the pick and roll, the big to big passing and the spray outs and those things.
“But, I do think it's part of Evan's development and growth,” Bickerstaff continued. “Because being confident enough to take those threes from behind the line matters, with this opportunity and the changes that have happened, it can help kind of push this forward a little bit more quickly.”
So, there will be a point where Mobley tries to replicate the spacing that players in a similar vein to Wade or even Georges Niang give Cleveland every night. But, as Bickerstaff noted, the Cavs can't force it and have to let it happen naturally and, for now, the focus is to help Mobley shake off the rust of being away from competitive, high-level basketball for roughly six weeks.
To make that more palatable for Mobley and Cleveland, Bickerstaff said the plan is to replicate what has worked so well when Jarrett Allen by surrounding Mobley with shooting at every other position. All the spacing around Mobley will make it easier for him to find clean, consistent looks at the basket and it also plays to his strengths as a passing threat, attacking opposing defenses from all over the floor.
It's the right call to utilize Mobley properly in the grand scheme. For now, the first test for Mobley in this new offensive attack will come in his return against the Clippers, and from there, Mobley and the Cavs will keep evaluating his fit in their new system each and every game.
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