James Harden and Jarrett Allen found immediate chemistry upon the arrival of the star point guard to the Cleveland Cavaliers. By contrast, the dynamic with Evan Mobley is still a work in progress. The contrasting styles play a factor here, but Harden and Mobley are all each other have right now.
With Allen out due to right knee tendonitis, Mobley has assumed the starting center spot in the meantime. Tuesday night was an excellent outing for him in that role. The Cavs big man finished with 27 points, 15 rebounds, and three blocks in a competitive 123-116 win over the Milwaukee Bucks.
Harden, somewhat jokingly, wanted more. In the postgame interview, the veteran star had a good laugh before getting more serious about the impact Mobley had.
Harden said: "[He] should've had 35 and 20, but I'll take it. [He was] just being aggressive on both ends of the basketball [court]. He's our anchor defensively."
James Harden and the Cavaliers need consistent aggression from Evan Mobley
The big knock on Mobley has always been consistency. The young star will give flashes of improvement and upside, but stringing together a sustained stretch of excellence is what has kept him from taking that leap to the next level.
Whether it is disappearing for chunks at a time during a game, or delivering a dominant performance and following it up with a handful of good but not great ones, Mobley knows the drill. That is the funk the Cavaliers will still quietly hope he can escape from eventually.
Harden is a known big man whisperer.
If you're a frontcourt player that cannot make it work with the future Hall of Famer, that says way more about you than it does about Harden. It was hinted at in the postgame. Mobley had a great game. It jokingly could have been even better. That is what Harden and the Cavs will hope to pry out of their young star.
Mobley does not necessarily possess the offensive style of bigs who typically thrive with Harden. Allen found immediate success with his new point guard due to his willingness to set screens, dive to the rim, and finish plays. Mobley's offensive arsenal is more about finesse by contrast.
There should be room for a little both of both. Mobley's length and athleticism gives him the opportunity to do some of the more classic big man roles. Blending that into his current repertoire might finally bring out the version of him that many have envisioned over the years.