The Cleveland Cavaliers are the best team in the NBA.
They are 0.3 points behind the Oklahoma City Thunder for the highest point differential in the league, have top-shelf coaching and are led by a star with the right pieces around him.
Interestingly, the Cavaliers have many of the same players as last year, but Darius Garland being back to All-Star form and Evan Mobley reaching new heights have changed the outlook of the team. The latter is also one of the most improved players in the league. Coach Kenny Atkinson described him as a “wing/big” in November.
But what are Mobley’s chances of winning the Most Improved Player award? This season, the competition for it is fierce, but many things can change in the last 60 percent of games left. Let’s review the candidates.
5. Payton Prichard
In 2023-24, Pritchard was seventh in minutes (22), averaging 9.6 points on a high effective field goal percentage (58.3). Still, as a reserve, Pritchard is now logging 6.2 extra minutes and 5.9 more points on a significantly higher efficiency (63.0 EFG percentage).
Through 34 games, he has 15 with at least five made 3-pointers; last year he only had seven of those in 82 matches. He is now a more confident player on the dribble as well as only 19.6 percent of his two-pointers are assisted on.
4. Josh Hart
Hart has elevated his offense and is now a dangerous player. He has made huge improvements on his two-point percentage and on threes. Aside from a massive 15.2 point increase in effective field goal percentage, his scoring has increased by 5.1 digits per game. Don’t forget that he is having a career year in rebounding (8.8), free throw percentage (80.9), steals (1.5) and assists (5.7), too.
This is only the third season in which Hart has averaged double figures in scoring and his second-highest in average. Yet, he has gone from a solid role player to one of the NBA’s most impactful two-way players.
Additionally, the Knicks have 34 games on national TV, tied for third-most with the Boston Celtics. This type of exposure to the voters is a huge plus.
3. Deandre Hunter
Like Pritchard, Hunter is also doing his work off the bench and is notably the leading scorer of all reserves (20.9). Additionally, his points per game average has jumped five digits, and he is taking 5.1 free throws per game. His true shooting splits have improved by 6.3 percent.
He is a major piece to the Atlanta Hawks’ offense as its second-leading scorer. He has been so sharp that only six other players score at least 20 points per game with a minimum 60 EFG percentage. Those players are Giannis Antetokounmpo, Nikola Jokić, Zach LaVine, Domantas Sabonis, Karl-Anthony Towns and Nikola Vučević.
2. Norman Powell
Powell is one of the most dangerous 3-point shooters in the league. His previous season high in points was in 2021-22, averaging 19 per game on a 54.9 EFG percentage. Now he is peaking at 23.6 points nightly on a 58.6 EFG percentage. His points per game from this season to last has increased by 9.7 points.
He has been so good that the Los Angeles Clippers have not sweat losing Paul George as a free agent to the Philadelphia 76ers.
1. Tyler Herro
Herro’s case is strong because he went from third piece to the main player on his team, which could get him into the All-Star Game as a reserve. Before coach Rick Carlisle’s Indiana Pacers smashed the Miami Heat on Thursday, he said Herro’s late-game heroics were breathtaking and that he has a different look in his eye this season.
The numbers are strong with this one, too. He is recording 3.3 more points per contest on a 5.9 point increase in effective field goal percentage. Now he is the one catching more opposing schemes, which opens up extra avenues for his teammates.
Evan Mobley
Mobley is giving the Cavs All-Star production, but he comes in behind these guys as a dark horse. What’s working against him is that his points per game have only gone up 2.7 marks. Another thing working against him is that the Cavaliers are on prime time TV just 16 times.
Yet, has seen a 5.7 point increase in his deep shooting percentage. This has helped unlock the Cavaliers’ offense because opponents have to play him closer, which makes it easier for him to dribble by them. On top of that, being a mismatch killer and initiating more offense this year are the most obvious areas of growth.
In 2024-25, Mobley is averaging at 18.4 points on a 61.4 EFG percentage , with 8.7 rebounds and 2.9 assists. Only four other players are putting up the same numbers or higher- Jokić, Sabonis, Towns and Vučević.