By admin 
Evan Mobley’s breakout season is more than just a hypothetical topic to talk about after a limited sample size in the preseason.
We are now eight games into the new year, and the Cleveland Cavaliers forward has shown on multiple occasions that he is taking the leap to become an all-round star right before our eyes.
Fans and analysts have taken note of this game against the Milwaukee Bucksand the clip went viral on NBA’s X account Monday night.
Block the shot.
Safe property.
Push it 94 feet.
Hammer it down.This Evan Mobley series
He has a maximum of 14 points on NBA TV: pic.twitter.com/oNeZnUoknr
— NBA (@NBA) November 5, 2024
We can break this series down in a number of ways.
First of all, this is a direct byproduct of the Kenny Atkinson effect. Instead of slowing the pace after making the block, Mobley pushes the ball up the floor to keep Cleveland moving in transition. Atkinson said this last week the team will continue to push Mobley to be the team’s ballhandler in certain situations, and this is a prime example of that.
Next, let’s talk about why this sequence was extra impressive for Mobley.
Watch the play again. See which hand he uses on both sides of the game. Mobley is a right-handed dominant player and used his off-hand to both block the shot and throw down a dunk into traffic on the other side of the floor. This is the natural talent that Mobley possesses that cannot be taught or coached.
October 26, 2024; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers forward Evan Mobley (4) dribbles the ball onto the court against the Washington Wizards during the third quarter at Capital One Arena. Mandatory credits: Reggie Hildred-Imagn Images / Reggie Hildred-Imagn Images
Mobley is now averaging 17.6 points, 8.1 rebounds and 2.8 assists through the first eight games of the season. The version of Mobley we see now is much more confident and aggressive, as seen in this piece.
This newfound confidence will surely lead to future sequences like this.