close
close

Evan Mobley shines for Cavaliers in season opener against Raptors

Evan Mobley shines for Cavaliers in season opener against Raptors

The Cleveland Cavaliers’ season is in full swing, and so is their revamped offense. The Wine and Gold defeated the Toronto Raptors north of the border with a final score of 136-106.

Of all the storylines on Wednesday night, Evan Mobley’s strong season debut was the most exciting. There was a lot of discussion in the offseason about how the forward could make the jump from solid starter to star, and from what we’ve seen from him in the preseason and opener, he could be an All-Star candidate this season could be.

Mobley finished Wednesday’s contest with 25 points, eight rebounds, three assists, two steals and three blocks while shooting 64 percent from the floor. He even knocked down one of two three-pointers he took.

Kenny Atkinson stressed throughout the offseason that the Cavs needed to make Mobley the focal point of their offense. He averaged just 11 shots per game last season, but on Wednesday he took 14 in just 26 minutes of work. This certainly shows how much commitment Mobley will have on offense.

Mobley was just the tip of the iceberg when it came to Cleveland’s efficient and exciting offense. As a team, the Cavs shot 59 percent from the floor and 46 percent from behind the arc. What these stats don’t show is how many of those shots were taken from long range or directly under the base.

Cleveland’s coach has also made it clear since his opening press conference that he wants to make everyone’s job easier by allowing more free throws. The mission was accomplished.

Evan Mobley dunks the ball

Oct. 23, 2024; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Cleveland Cavaliers forward Evan Mobley (4) scores with a basket over Toronto Raptors center Jakob Poeltl (19) in the third quarter at Scotiabank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images / Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images

Cleveland has 81 games remaining; It’s a long season. But there were so many positives to take away from this win, and it should excite Cavs fans about the ceiling this team has.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *