The Cleveland Cavaliers were projected to be one of the best teams during the 2024-25 NBA season, but not many expected them to come out of the gates this hot.
The Cavaliers rattled off 15 consecutive victories to begin the regular season and sit atop the Eastern Conference standings.
Cleveland has a talented and star-studded nucleus of players, but Evan Mobley is arguably the team’s most important piece because of his two-way play.
The big man appears to have taken a leap this season as one of the best rim protectors in the league while also expanding his offensive game.
The young star has extended his range from beyond the arc, forcing defenses to treat him as a credible threat.
During a recent game against the Charlotte Hornets, Mobley hit five 3-pointers in the first quarter, which drew plenty of fan reaction on social media.
Evan Mobley recorded his CAREER HIGH for 3PT in just ONE QUARTER?
? 23 PTS
? 5/5 3PT
? 9/10 FG
⏲️ 9 MIN pic.twitter.com/XhUtDO9e9U— NBA TV (@NBATV) December 7, 2024
Evan Mobley is BEYOND TALENTED
Love this man
— CourtSideHeat (@courtsideheat) December 7, 2024
Mobleing all the way to victory?
— Zahirwesley (@Zahirwesley1) December 7, 2024
He’s cooking dang
— Thenson (@thensonthe3rd) December 7, 2024
Insane
— Crypto Friso (@CryptoFriso) December 7, 2024
Mobley made Charlotte pay by letting it fly from distance, leading to a 41-point game in Clevleand’s latest victory.
While it’s unreasonable to expect Mobley to hit that many 3-pointers on a regular basis, it emphasizes his potential as a versatile offensive piece the Cavs can build around.
Donovan Mitchell and Darius Garland will continue to operate with the basketball in their hands, but it might be time to start ceding more touches to Mobley, who looks like he’s ready to handle more offensive responsibility.