The Cleveland Cavaliers got a monster Evan Mobley performance in Game 5, and it was a huge reason why they were able to take a 3-2 lead over the Toronto Raptors after dropping two straight games. His three-point shooting was crucial, and it showed the Cavs the pathway to avoiding a franchise-altering trade that would have to split up Mobley and Jarrett Allen.
Cleveland’s offense needs Mobley to shoot threes. Without his floor-spacing, they become a lot more one-dimensional. It means they would have, when both guys share the floor, two guys who don’t want to shoot the ball. And that may not be a tenable future for the Cavs.
But if Mobley can make threes in big spots like he did in Game 5, that could change everything for Cleveland.
Evan Mobley needs to hit threes if the Cavs want to keep him and Jarrett Allen together long-term
Mobley was great for the Cavaliers on Wednesday night. They had their backs against the wall. The Raptors looked like they were about to surge. But Mobley was a huge reason why they were able to close things out.
He shot 3-of-3 from beyond the arc in Game 5, but it wasn’t just about the makes themselves. It was about the timing. Because Mobley made his shots in some huge moments.
His first three came with 30 seconds left in the third quarter, and the other two went down with 10:21 and 6:37 left in the fourth. The Cavaliers needed those buckets to win the game.
If Mobley can make threes at a semi-consistent rate, it could help change everything for the Cavs offense, especially as they move forward and try to win with their current core.
If he can’t, then there could be some serious conversations to be had about splitting him and Allen up for the purpose of a more consistent offense, especially when it comes to three-point shooting.
It’s hard enough in today’s NBA to have one non-shooter on the court. But if Mobley turns into the type of guy who doesn’t want to take threes, that would be a mess for Cleveland.
The Cavs need more Mobley games like the one they one they got in Game 5 if they want to avoid some uncomfortable conversations moving forward, because splitting up Allen and Mobley would shake up the whole look of the franchise.
But unfortunately for the Cavs, having two non-shooters is pretty brutal for a team that wants to win a championship in the next few seasons.
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