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Cavs desperate for Evan Mobley to be great. He took a step in Game 2 win vs. Heat | Ulrich
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- Cavs desperate for Evan Mobley to be great. He took a step in Game 2 win vs. Heat | Ulrich
CLEVELAND — Cavaliers forward Evan Mobley removed his shirt and pretended to be 250 pounds while taking extra outside shots and polishing his touch around the rim.
Well, the shirtless, muscle-bound description is a playful joke from Cavs guard Donovan Mitchell , but you get the point. The 7-foot, 215-pound Mobley processed information about how the Miami Heat defended him to open the 2025 NBA playoffs and then applied it to his preparation for Game 2 .
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The extra-credit assignments Mobley gave himself in and around practices at Cleveland Clinic Courts paid off.
Mobley bounced back from a lackluster individual performance in Game 1 to help the top-seeded Cavs prevail 121-112 over the No. 8 Heat in Game 2 on Wednesday, April 23, at Rocket Arena. He scored 20 points on 7-of-10 shooting from the field, including 3 of 6 on 3-pointers, and compiled six rebounds, one assist and a steal in 34 minutes as Cleveland survived an intense Miami rally in the fourth quarter.
"I thought he met the moment," Cavs coach Kenny Atkinson said of Mobley. "I saw him working on his game these last two days. He worked twice as much as anybody. He's got that something. He's desperate to be great."
The Cavs are also desperate for the 23-year-old Mobley to be great. They know it's a requirement for their championship goals to be met.
Cleveland Cavaliers forward Evan Mobley (4) gets set to shoot during Game 2 of a first-round NBA playoff series against the Miami Heat on April 23, 2025, in Cleveland, Ohio.
Getting on the same page about the ideal path toward greatness remains a work in progress.
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Despite producing just nine points and seven rebounds, including zero in the first half, Mobley opined he played with adequate aggression April 20 during Cleveland's 121-100 victory in Game 1 . His stance is the ball moved a lot, and the play often ended with a Cavs guard instead of him. Mitchell, Ty Jerome and Darius Garland combined to score 85 points in the series opener.
However, Atkinson and Mitchell, Cleveland's undisputed leader, refused to let Mobley off the hook in the buildup to Game 2. Earlier the same day, Atkinson said Mobley needs to "go get extra possessions" by rebounding better, even when the guards are dominating the action. And Mitchell explained a key for the Cavs is Mobley "consistently being aggressive." You may have heard it once or twice by now.
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Cleveland Cavaliers forward Evan Mobley (4) is defended by Miami Heat center Bam Adebayo (13) during Game 2 of a first-round NBA playoff series April 23, 2025, in Cleveland, Ohio.
Everyone who knows anything about the NBA realizes Mobley is an elite defender and has been since the Cavs drafted him third overall in 2021. He's among three finalists for Defensive Player of the Year, and the winner will be announced at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, April 24, on TNT.
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But Mobley became a first-time All-Star this season because he made significant strides on offense. Even so, he still has an occasional outing in which he uses what Atkinson has dubbed "a neutral approach." Atkinson has identified the tendency as an obstacle to Mobley achieving greatness.
In Game 2, Mobley entered the 2025 postseason chat in a meaningful way.
"It's a perimeter game, so sometimes he gets lost in the mix a little bit," Atkinson said. "But I thought he was outstanding — outstanding on both ends tonight."
Mobley's primary defensive assignment against the Heat is forward Bam Adebayo . In Game 1, Adebayo clearly outplayed Mobley. In Game 2, Adebayo scored just 11 points on 3-of-9 shooting from the field, though he did tally 14 rebounds and nine assists. Mobley's two-game rebounding total in this series is 13.
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In Round 1 against the Heat, the Cavs can get away with Mobley fading into the background on offense. They won't be able to afford it when they advance deeper into the playoffs and encounter stiffer competition than the Heat.
The same can be said about Cavs wing De'Andre Hunter. Although Hunter is not as crucial to the success of the franchise as Mobley, Hunter qualifies as a key player. Remember, the Cavs acquired Hunter at the Feb. 6 trade deadline to improve their ability to match up against teams with long, athletic wings, particularly those who star for the defending NBA champion Boston Celtics .
Cleveland Cavaliers forward De'Andre Hunter (12) looks to the basket as Miami Heat forward Nikola Jovic (5) defends during Game 2 of a first-round NBA playoff series April 23, 2025, in Cleveland, Ohio.
After going scoreless on 0-of-4 shooting from the field in 16 minutes during Game 1, Hunter scored 12 points on 4-of-10 shooting from the floor, including 2 of 4 on 3-pointers, in 23 minutes off the bench in Game 2.
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"Last game, I feel like he was a little bit out of the loop," Mobley said of Hunter. "But that happens sometimes, and I feel like everyone refocused and got him a little more involved. And we're going to keep doing that throughout the series."
2025 NBA playoffs: Instant reaction to Cleveland Cavaliers' win over Miami Heat in Game 2 of first-round series
Miami Heat guard Tyler Herro (14) passes around Cleveland Cavaliers forward Evan Mobley during Game 2 of a first-round NBA playoff series April 23, 2025, in Cleveland, Ohio.
The Cavs should not ever settle for Mobley or Hunter being "out the loop." As the playoffs unfold, their confidence will be vital.
Mitchell complimented Mobley for allowing others to flourish in Game 1, yet a better balance ought to be struck. The Cavs reaching their potential depends on it.
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When Mobley possesses an aggressive offensive mindset, Mitchell said, "You see a look in his eyes."
The look must become the norm.
Nate Ulrich can be reached at nulrich@thebeaconjournal.com. On Twitter: @ByNateUlrich .
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Evan Mobley takes step in Game 2, and Cavs need more of it in playoffs
