These 2 Cavs players are set to improve in second half of the season

No. 2: Evan Mobley

To clear the air here, this isn’t suggesting that Evan Mobley has not played well, to a large degree, so far this season. He’s again been invaluable on the defensive end of the floor with his versatility, rim protection and active hands, and his off-ball feel continually has popped on the offensive end.

For the season overall to this point, he’s had 14.4 points and 8.8 rebounds per contest, which are similar splits to his rookie year, when he had 15.0 points and 8.3 rebounds per outing. Then, he was the league’s runner-up for the Rookie of the Year, and seemingly was well in-line for winning that award, prior to a strong close from the Toronto Raptors’ Scottie Barnes.

Nonetheless, in recent weeks, Mobley’s had somewhat of an offensive slump and looks to at times be playing a bit hesitant, or is out of sorts. He did have a two-game absence recently in both wins against the Chicago Bulls due to ankle soreness, but in his last eight appearances prior to the past two contests, he had had 10.8 points per game, and has shot only 2.4 free throws per game, in which he hit just 52.6 percent of.

Fortunately, he’s had 17 and 19 points in the past two outings, and generally, the mid-post game from Mobley has still flashed of late, and his passing abilities have continually aided Cleveland. However, there’s been times where he’s seemed to pass up shots, or looking to finish with touch a bit too much, instead of finishing through defenders.

Some of it is Mobley is likely still adjusting to playing with Donovan Mitchell, and there’s been some guys in and out of the lineup with him.

But, in the second half, similarly to Love, Rubio’s playmaking could make a difference for Mobley, and if the confidence from at points earlier on is there, perhaps Mobley can re-establish some rhythm on catch-and-shoot plays from three. That hasn’t been there for an extended period.

In any case, as we’ve alluded to, Mobley is still making plays for the Cavaliers, and his finishing at the rim is still top-notch.

He just needs to be more assertive as a situational driver, and in the second half of the season, look for him to initiate some more at the elbows, whether that’s with him at the 4 or 5.