2 studs, 2 duds from the Cleveland Cavaliers' NBA preseason opener
At least Cleveland Cavaliers fans can find solace in the fact that the preseason doesn't count.
Cleveland fell 116-112 to the Chicago Bulls in the 2024 preseason debut. Despite the loss, the Cavs had an opportunity to see how the bench unit and two-way players could perform in a real competition. Cleveland only played each of the core four 19 total minutes and the fifth starter, Max Strus, nine minutes. Strus left the game early with a right hip contusion and did not return.
The Cavaliers fell into some bad habits, missing far too many three-pointers, ending the night with 20.8 percent conversion. Still, Cleveland's offense already showed signs of improvement as the ball moved around the floor more fluidly, and everybody seemed to be involved. Everybody on the Cavs scored at least once other than Strus, who attempted zero field goals before his injury.
As a whole, the Cavs had some positive results in the close loss. Cleveland won the rebounding battle, grabbing 60 boards. Also, they assisted on 27 of their 42 made field goals. If the Cavaliers continue to prioritize teamplay and look for the extra pass, their offense will have much better results than their slower approach from the past few years.
In any game, though, some players perform better than others. The Cavaliers were no exception against the Bulls, with a handful of players shining while others faded.
Stud: Evan Mobley
The Cavaliers need Evan Mobley to make a statement this season and grow as an offensive weapon. In this year's GM Survey, Mobley tied for the second-most likely player to have a breakout season, just behind Jalen Williams and tied with Ja Morant and Victor Wembanyama.
In his preseason debut, Mobley led the Cavs in scoring with 19 points, paired with six rebounds and three blocks. Mobley was more aggressive from the jump, looking to score and find his rhythm. Clearly, head coach Kenny Atkinson is wasting no time in raising Mobley's usage rate. Giving him a runway to develop confidence in the preseason will hopefully translate to Mobely reaching his expectations.
He was not perfect in the game, missing both three-point attempts and only recording one assist. For a preseason game, though, Mobley showed plenty of reasons to be excited for his fourth season with the Cavs. His game-leading blocks total show that he is still the elite defender the Cavaliers drafted, and his aggressions suggests that his injury-plagued season last year has not dissuaded him from physicality.
Mobley was undoubtedly the best bright spot for the Cavaliers in the loss. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for the first dud of the evening.