CLEVELAND, Ohio — The Cavs’ 94-87 victory over the Charlotte Hornets on Wednesday night should have been Evan Mobley’s statement game. Instead, it became yet another chapter in the ongoing saga of a young star who continues to tantalize with glimpses of greatness only to fade into the background when his team needs him most.
Mobley dominated the first half with 13 points and 11 rebounds, taking 11 shot attempts and looking every bit the unicorn the Cavaliers envisioned when they drafted him. But in a second-half performance that’s become frustratingly familiar to Cavs fans, Mobley attempted just two shots as Cleveland’s offense stagnated.
“I can’t believe we keep having to have this conversation about Evan Mobley and it’s exhausting because he is supposed to be the guy that Donovan Mitchell can rely on,” said Ethan Sands, Wine and Gold Talk podcast host.
The Cavs’ win, which moved them to 25-20 and the fifth seed in the Eastern Conference, masked what could have been a disastrous collapse after leading by as many as 27 points. Cleveland scored just 38 points in the entire second half, with their offensive fulcrum essentially disappearing.
“This game screamed unicorn like game from Evan Mobley,” said Chris Fedor, cleveland.com Cavs beat reporter. “And there were moments, there were flashes, but that’s been his season. Flashes, flashes mixed with inconsistency.”
What makes Mobley’s inconsistency particularly maddening is that the Hornets had no answer for him in the first quarter. He was aggressive going to the basket, finishing through contact, and not allowing Charlotte’s undersized frontcourt to deter him. Defensively, he was everywhere – anchoring the paint, making things difficult for ball handlers, and contesting perimeter shots.
One moment in the closing minutes encapsulated Mobley’s puzzling approach. With the Cavs up by just six points and less than a minute remaining, Mobley caught the ball near the elbow with only one defender in front of him. Rather than attacking to seal the game, he passed to Dean Wade, and the possession resulted in a shot clock violation.
“That cannot happen if you’re supposed to be an All Star,” Sands emphasized. “I’m not even talking about second team All-NBA. I’m talking about if you’re supposed to be a perennial All Star in this league, that cannot happen.”
As the Cavaliers continue to navigate injuries to key players like Darius Garland, Sam Merrill, and Max Strus, Mobley’s development becomes even more crucial. Donovan Mitchell is facing unprecedented defensive attention, often looking exhausted in the second half of games.
“They only scored 38 points in the entire second half because one of their most important players was essentially a spectator,” Fedor noted. “Now that’s on Kenny, that’s on Donovan and that’s on Evan as well. He has to demand the basketball. He has to go get it at times, sometimes rebound and bring it up the floor and initiate offense yourself.”
The questions around Mobley extend beyond just this game. With each passing performance that features this stark contrast between dominance and passivity, concerns grow about whether he can truly become the supermax player the organization is building around.
“If you want a barometer of how things are going for the Cavs, just look at the performance of Evan. Look at how forceful he is, look at how engaged he is. Look at how assertive he’s being,” Fedor said.
As the Cavs prepare to face the Sacramento Kings and Orlando Magic in their upcoming games, all eyes will be on Mobley to see if he can finally transform those tantalizing flashes into the consistent brilliance his team desperately needs.
Here’s the podcast for this week: