The Cleveland Cavaliers couldn't hold onto a big lead in the second half of the season opener. Once again, the team's late-game woes- taking their foot off the gas and failing to counter halftime adjustments came back to haunt Kenny Atkinson's team.
That said, while the coach deserves plenty of the blame, he's only out there calling plays and subbing guys in and out; he can't drive to the lane for his players. That's on guys like Evan Mobley, who are making big bucks to ease the scoring burden off Donovan Mitchell.
Mobley hit the ground running with 15 first-half points, and it looked like he was finally about to take over and dominate, as Cavs fans have expected him to do since he entered the league. Then, he finished the game with 18 points.
Evan Mobley must step up and be more aggressive for the Cleveland Cavaliers
Mobley is the team's defensive anchor. We get it, he's not there just to score points; he's the guy to lean on when the team needs to get a stop and, more often than not, he does a fantastic job of protecting the paint, altering shots, and whatnot. He can even hold his own on the perimeter.
That said, we're talking about a player making superstar money and not putting in superstar effort. He's shown what he can do. He can put the ball on the floor, has improved his handles, expanded his range, and actually has a smooth touch around the rim. He can score.
Is it a conditioning issue? Does he run out of gas at the end of games? He bulked up between seasons, so that shouldn't be a factor anymore. Also, it's not like he's entering his second year in the pros.
Mobley is the type of guy who needs to be involved early and often. If his shot isn't falling at first, he won't even look at the rim later. That's why watching him go MIA even after a strong start to the game was so frustrating.
Evan Mobley has always shown the potential to be one of the best, most dominant two-way players in the game. He's his own worst enemy; he gets in his own head way too often, and that lack of consistency and aggressiveness is exactly what's holding him back from fulfilling his true superstar potential.
It's just one game, but it's been the same issue with him for years.
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