Cavs’ rookie Evan Mobley ready for debut on tourney play-in stage

Unflappable. Perhaps that is the most effective phrase to explain Cavaliers prized rookie ahead Evan Mobley.

Or perhaps unafraid. Or plain. Unreal might match, too.

At roughly the identical time the NBA wraps up this season after the Finals in June, Mobley will flip 21. So by the point he is sufficiently old to legally eat an grownup beverage, he’ll have a full season — and perhaps even a number of playoff video games — beneath his belt.

Maybe a Rookie of the Yr award as nicely.

For the Cavaliers to have any probability of upsetting the Brooklyn Nets on Tuesday evening within the play-in event and advancing to the postseason, the 7-foot Mobley might want to do most of the issues he is completed all through Cleveland’s turnaround season — and extra.

With All-Star Jarrett Allen’s out once more attributable to a damaged finger that has sidelined him for greater than a month, Mobley will probably be counted on for scoring, rebounding and under-the-rim protector.

That is no totally different than what he has supplied all season for the resurgent Cavs. What’s new is that the stakes will probably be a lot increased and that Mobley will probably be taking part in on a stage the place the lights will probably be brighter than he is ever seen.

The rook’s prepared.

“I’m undoubtedly excited,” the soft-spoken Mobley mentioned following Sunday’s win over Milwaukee within the regular-season finale. “I really feel like the entire group is happy. New expertise for lots of people on our group. We’re a really younger group, so I really feel like everybody’s excited.

“Everybody’s gonna come out right here with numerous power and actually simply play their hardest. So I’ve a superb feeling about it.”

These good vibes have fueled Mobley and the youthful Cavs for months.

Anticipated to make one other draft lottery look after successful simply 22 video games final season, Cleveland’s rebuild appeared to skip a number of steps because the Cavs completed 44-38 regardless of an inordinate variety of accidents.

Mobley, the No. 3 total choose final yr from USC, kicked Cleveland’s climb into one other gear.

He averaged 15 factors, 8.3 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 1.7 blocks over 69 video games, stats which have him in a too-tight-to-call race with Toronto’s Scottie Barnes for high rookie honors.

Allen not too long ago missed 5 straight video games with a sprained ankle, and his worth to the Cavs was underscored by the group going 1-4 with out him.

Ask coach J.B. Bickerstaff about Mobley’s many skills, and the checklist is prolonged.

“Clearly what he does defensively, his means to protect a number of positions, his means to guard the rim, problem pictures on the rim, change pictures on the rim,” Bickerstaff mentioned. “Offensively, a playmaking large man, so we will get the ball to him on totally different spots on the ground and permit him to make performs from everywhere in the ground. His means to attain the basketball.

“He brings quite a bit to us.”

Mobley returned from his five-game absence final week to face the Nets and completed with 17 factors, seven rebounds and two blocks, an informal efficiency Bickerstaff described as “a roll away from bed.”

There have been additionally parts to Mobley’s defensive recreation that did not present up within the field rating.

Bickerstaff has seen these all season.

“His means to intimidate,” Bickerstaff mentioned. “Individuals don’t even go in there generally due to the concern that he’s there and so they’ll accept unhealthy pictures or make tough passes as a result of they need to play away from him.”

Mobley’s size and athleticism permits the Cavs to modify on screens, overplay passing lanes and be extra aggressive.

“It makes us a flexible protection and it’s useful to all the blokes as a result of they’ve confidence when he’s on the market,” Bickerstaff mentioned. “They will rise up and stress their man extra as a result of they know Evan’s there to help them.”

Mobley’s return appears to have restored some perception within the Cavs, who went simply 9-14 after the All-Star break whereas patching collectively lineups attributable to accidents.

“And it is solely gonna get higher from right here on out,” Kevin Love mentioned of getting Mobley again. “Simply the attention and simply that pure really feel (he has) for the ball, whether or not or not it’s rebounding, securing the defensive rebound, however then simply being an elite defender and elite shot blocker together with his dimension and size in his first yr.

“It’s power in numbers, however it’s good, an enormous luxurious to say the least to have Ev down there.”