Cavs: Can Evan Mobley join the legends by making All-Defense Team?

Cavs: The case for Evan Mobley to make All-Defense this year

It is difficult in the NBA to properly analyze defensive impact, especially in a small sample. A player with great on/off numbers could just be part of a strong lineup, while conversely an elite defender could be stuck with porous teammates. Steals are just candy in the box score for some gambling guards, while they’re a sign of game-changing anticipation for others.

Thankfully Mobley is working hard to make an impact everywhere so we can’t help but see his impact. He has the lowest defensive rating among Cavs rotation players, his 4.1 percent block percentage would have ranked 13th last season, and he is the primary defensive addition for a defense that has improved by 7.8 points per 100 possessions over last season.

His length, instincts and lower body movement all combine to allow him to make an impact at every level of the court. The Cavs have rolled out a 3-2 zone with Mobley at the top, where his length can bother shots and he can follow drivers into the defense at the zone rotates around him.

In fact, with Lauri Markkanen starting at the 3 beside him, it often falls on Mobley to defend opposing small forwards — either initially or off a switch — and he is doing an excellent job. Against the Lakers last night LeBron James underestimated his length and was helpless when Mobley just swatted the ball away.

Heading into that Lakers game, Mobley led the league in shots defended overall and from 3-point range. The eye test from that matchup suggests he won’t lose that perch once the NBA’s stats update. He was everywhere, and has been for the entire year. He can switch, rotate, stonewall attacking players and generate game-breaking turnovers. He’s the complete package as a defender, and at 20 years old he’s only going to get better.