The Cleveland Cavaliers are in the middle of a five-game losing streak and now are 9-10 on the young season. After the good start to the year, the team had been hit by numerous injuries, but the Cavs have gotten several players back in the last week and now will reportedly likely get their most impactful player and rookie Evan Mobley back on the floor when they battle the Orlando Magic Saturday at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. There are numerous question marks to where the Cavs go from here.
A year ago, some might be surprised to know that the team was 10-11 with their record and then began losing many games in a row and finished poorly overall at 22-50. This team, with its new young talent and a few new veterans certainly seems better overall than what we all witnessed last season, but the team is still losing and they need to break this latest streak starting Saturday.
Let’s look at a few big questions that are in the mind of many Cavaliers fans.
#1: Will having Mobley back help break the Cavs’ losing streak?
I sure hope so. Right? Before Mobley went out with a right elbow sprain last week, when they were playing the Boston Celtics, the team was winning. With that game and the next four that the Cavaliers were without Mobley’s services, they’d played tough but were noticeably a different unit without the rookie’s contributions.
Mobley has already shown his value to this Cavs team and to have him back out there Saturday night will be huge. His 14.6 points per game average, to go along with the eight rebounds is reason for fans to be excited about his return. It’s also the rim protecting and special skills he can bring defensively with his outstanding footwork that keep opponents honest and very aware of where he is on the floor at all times.
The rookie’s offense is special too as he can hit the little baseline jumper or the top of the key three-pointer but also has the ability to drive to the basket or even use a little baby hook to score. He’s very gifted and the NBA is certainly finding that out already.
Having that back in the lineup will have a direct effect on the Cavs success. So, while they have been on this recent losing streak, I believe Mobley is that difference maker and will restore some much-needed stability to the team.