Cleveland Cavaliers will play the star-studded Brooklyn Nets on Tuesday for a place in the 2022 NBA playoffs. Rookie sensation Evan Mobley talked about his first experience in the postseason and the play-in tournament.
“I’m definitely excited,” Mobley told reporters on Sunday. “I feel like the whole group is excited. New experience for a lot of people on our team. We’re a very young team, so I feel like everyone’s excited.”
With All-Star Jarrett Allen’s out again due to a broken finger that has sidelined him for more than a month, Mobley will have a bigger role to fill again on Tuesday. The Cavs won only three of their last 11 games as they were hit by injuries in significant starting pieces.
Cleveland was expected to be a lottery team entering the 2021-22 season, but, the Cavs’ rebuild seemed to skip a few steps as they finished 44-38. That was the first time, the team finished with a winning record since 2017-18 season.
“Everyone’s gonna come out here with a lot of energy and really just play their hardest. So I have a good feeling about it,” Mobley stated.
The last time Mobley played against the Nets, he finished with 17 points, seven rebounds and two blocks. He ended up his maiden NBA regular season with averages of 15.0 points, 8.3 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 1.7 blocks over 69 games.
Facing two future Hall-of-Famers in a must-win game is definitely a good start for Mobley’s young career. The talented center is the favorite to win the rookie of the year award in a close-knit race with Toronto’s forward Scottie Barnes.
Mobley’s length and athleticism allows the Cavs to switch on screens, overplay passing lanes and be more aggressive. His presence alongside All-Star center Jarrett Allen made the Cavs one of the best teams in defending the paint.
Without his front court partner, who is not expected to be available for Tuesday’s game, Mobley will need to stop Brooklyn from getting easy buckets. If the Cavaliers win Tuesday, they’ll secure the No. 7 seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs.
Komentar