Can Donovan Mitchell & Evan Mobley lead the Cavaliers to its 1st win of the year over Brooklyn?

Can Donovan Mitchell & Evan Mobley lead the Cavaliers to its 1st win of the year over Brooklyn?

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— what I meant the last couple of days. Yeah, trust me, it don’t have to be the weekend’s NBA players in New York, yeah, exactly. But no, I mean, it’s, it’s early season. Uh, Mike and I were texting a little bit during the first half of the Knicks. We were both happy to, I don’t care if they go in or not. I want Evan Mobley to do that. I want Mobley to be aggressive, attack, play. Oh, that was that Donovan? I thought that was Evan. — He’s
— got to do it for the whole game though, Jason. The first was Evan Evans. OK, aggressiveness was awesome, but he didn’t, he wasn’t as consistent with his aggressiveness in the second half. Well, and also they have to keep feeding him, and they got away from that in the playoffs, uh, quite a bit, and it’s on, it’s on Evan like it shouldn’t be this hard, and that’s the only thing because I, Mike and I have advocated for Evan more than anybody on this show for years, but it also shouldn’t be this hard to get the. Ball into one of your best players’ hands and it feels like we’re constantly talking about getting Evan comfortable. How do you get Evan comfortable, uh, how does he attack and you can’t, you can’t forget. Do you, do you get, do you forget Kevin Durant’s on the floor? Never. Do you forget that LeBron’s on the floor? And I’m not trying to put Evan in that category, Wendy, but like he is the 2nd best player on this team right now and by the end of the season he better be the best player on. And it’s so it shouldn’t be that hard to make that guy the focal point, so. I listen, I’m not gonna sit here and say they need to make this adjustment or that adjust from game one to game two of an 82 game season when they’re without three of their rotation players. Like now is the time to just get creative and have fun and see what works and see what doesn’t, try different combinations, but I, I just want to see Evan really become the focal point, really attack, play make, facilitate for others, running at both ends of the floor. I thought he was in the what I saw of the game against the Knicks, he was very good defensively. And that’s what you need to see out of him. So I don’t care if they go in or not right now. That doesn’t matter because they’ll eventually go in with Evan. I just want to see him get into the attack mode of attacking the basket, stepping into 3 point shots and taking them with confidence. He took we mentioned yesterday, he took some 3s like that he never took last year. I thought he did too, right? Like where he was just like late when it was a close game. Yeah. But just the fact that he was like he was kind of in motion, caught it and then went right up like he never took — 3 pointers like that’s
— what’s promising I thought for him. Hey, here’s here’s what I’m gonna do. Hey Evan, 18 is cool. That ain’t enough. I need you to be 24, 25 shots a game, 24, 25, right? At least it be a 24 to 25, you could taper it down when Darius Garley expense. Well, not, — I think they
— got away from him when Donovan just caught fire in — the third quarter and
— the end of the quarter ain’t no expenses. 225 is very high. I like 25 and I, by the way, I mean, I know you said that this is important that he better be their best player at the end of the year. Evan Mobily will not be the Cavs’ best player at the end they won’t win a championship. Then that’s fine. They, they probably won’t. I don’t, I don’t have him pick to win a championship, but that’s asking a lot. I am not he’d have to make as big a jump this year. Maybe even bigger than the one he made last night. I don’t think that’s unreasonable. It’s not unreasonable. I’m not saying it’s gonna happen, right? Like, yeah, — I
— it’s not unreasonable to, I, I, I don’t believe they will win a championship with Don Wyn Mitchell is their best player, and that’s not a knock against it sounds like I’m ripping Don. I’m not. I know it’s, I know. I mean this guy carries such a heavy load. He can’t help the size that he is. The Cavs has come up now two postseasons in a row because of the heavy usage, because of the heavy minutes and trying to do everything. — That’s not a recipe for why did they
— bring him back in the game after he got hurt? He wasn’t hurt. I mean, he looked like he was hurt. He was limping. That’s all it was. And why was he limping? I mean, he got hit in the face and the mouth. You know how NBA guys are. I’m gonna tell you like this. It’s all, it’s all about the mentality. The same way we talked about Jared Allen, he got ripped in front of the, the team then, right? You’re trying to set this up not for today but for what you need him to be tomorrow. So you gotta get into the habit. Last year they had habits and it was cool and it was easy. This year I’m glad. go out there and get smoked a little bit. Go out there and get beat up a little bit because I wanna see, I want you to drill that in your head. This is what we need for you to do. 25 shots seems like a lot, but 25 shots sets a mentality of aggressive, aggressive, aggressive, aggressive, aggressive. And then when you get into the playoffs, you still have the mindset, aggressive, aggressive, and I’ve been doing it all year and I’m, I’m not turning nothing on. So right now, Darius Garland is, is your, your 2nd or 3rd leader. Score DeAndre Hunter is out. I don’t care if Lonzo Ball get no shots. Sam Merri get no shots. I don’t care if Jared Allen get no touches besides putbacks. Evan Mobley need to get this ball and, and, and work and work on his game during the season, and that’s how you become a guy against Oklahoma City because you can’t just turn that on against Oklahoma City or the Knicks in the finals. No, you need to, — you need to be working on that
— right now. The Jarrett conversation I like. This is year 9. I mean, I know he is, he is, and it’s not that he’s a bad player. He’s not a bad player. — They just need him to
— be more, but — in
— the, in every postseason now, he’s vanished and some of it is out of his control with some injuries and some of it’s within his control. But I mean if you’re expecting Jared Allen to turn into. This vocal monster, no chance, it’s, he is who he is. This is his 9th year. I don’t, I don’t. Evan was more vocal in this game than I remembered him being Elast. They’re, they’re putting a lot on him, and they, they’ve for two offseasons now they’ve really sort of turned up the responsibility he’s a — max player make $45 million
— be a max player. — It’s
— time, by the way, we talked about this a little yesterday, but He just brings a dimension that this team hasn’t had in a long time. He could, if he’s healthy and upright, he’s got to be upright April, May and June. He could be his — his passing ability like they haven’t had a player like that
— his pace, the pace, the way he pushes. If you’re a big man and you running. If Lonzo Ball got the rock, you gotta run that floor hard because you can get it. Anybody, Sam Merrill need to be running to that 3 point line because he can get it. I will say this though, Jason, if, if, if Jared Allen is not out here doing nothing. He’s clogging the space up for me then. If he’s not gonna be out there rim running, um, playing defense and blocking shots and bringing energy, I, it’s, he’s redundant. — I can just put Evan Mobley out there at the 5 and keep
— pushing. We yeah, we’ve, I mean we’ve talked about that for years. Anytime I have conversations with other teams, it’s always Evan at the 5. It’s how they view the Cavs’ best lineup is Evan at the 5 and 4 shooters around them. Uh, the Cavs like the defensive presence and tenacity of having the two big guys together. There is something to be said for that. There is merit to that, uh, but you know, yeah, I think their best lineup is Evan at the 5. I, it’s just, especially in crucial against good teams and crucial moments, that’s what it is. But the Lonzo thing, Mike, I, I haven’t not studied Lonzo’s career, but I think this is probably the first time in his career that he hasn’t been. Looked at as one of a guy. I mean, I know he’s had a ton of injuries, but he’s just a face in Cleveland. He’s not expected to fill a major role. They’re not counting on him to be — a franchise leader on this team play
— the role they need, — but it
— is an important role come postseason time. Absolutely not, but yeah, yeah, but what what Jay is saying is everywhere else they’re like. OK, what, what do you got? We don’t need him to be. — He doesn’t have to be
— Lonzo Ball. No, no, one of the guys. — Just come in and run the
— unit that I like him. I like the idea of him and Mobley on the court without Donovan, you know, in the minutes that Donovan’s out with 3 other shooters, you know, uh, one one of the big guy, he’s with that and that to me about the cups. Hunter being at the 4 with Mobley at the 5 gives you so much flexibility on both ends of the court. And I think that’s their heart regardless of who the three guys in the backcourt are, the Cavs are at their hardest to guard in my opinion, when Mobley’s at the 5 and Hunter’s at the 4. Jason, I had a question for you though real quick. We didn’t talk, we actually haven’t talked about this. I should have texted you about this beforehand. But Jared Allen is the recipient of a lot of pick and roll plays. Like he’s probably the Cavs’ best pick and roll player. Lonzo doesn’t run a ton of pick and rolls, by the way, in his entire career, it’s just not kind of his offensive style because he’s not much of an offensive creator and team just go under, force him to shoot, not what he runs. Last season, Allen had 138 assists from Darrius Garland, by far the most of anyone on the team. Max Drews was #2 in assist to Jared Allen, 47. So with those two out, that’s 175 of his 300 made baskets just out of the equation, which offensive production is going to kind of be hindered like that. My issue with Jarrett, it just feels like kind of the effort and the intensity. Jason isn’t there on a night to night basis in a game against New York, against the Knicks in that arena opening night of the season. You just need more from him. So I kinda, I don’t wanna say I understand the lack of offensive production. You still need more than 4 points. That’s not, not acceptable at all. But what do the Cavs have to do to get a more consistent version of Jarrett Jared Allen, especially on the glass, 4 rebounds for a 28. That’s just unacceptable. I, — I
— mean, I would put it back on again, he’s on. This isn’t on the Cavs to try and make more comfortable. This is Allen. Be the type of player he’s capable of being, uh, but can you become a dog and you’re not, no, of course not. I don’t see it happening. No, but, but they’re never gonna run plays like you’re not gonna run an ATO for Jarrett. His points are gonna come like Mike was talking about off, off. Rolls, but if those guys aren’t out there, his points are gonna come off rebounds and putbacks doing dirty work around the glass, uh, and that’s just too like that was a couple of years ago that’s why I said the beauty of Jared Allen is is he’s gonna get you 12 and 10 without ever having to run a play for him. And, and that’s still true. Uh, now if his pick and roll guys aren’t out there, he may get a little bit of dip and that’s OK. I’d rather Evan Mobley taking those shots than Jared Allen anyway. But if he’s getting 4 rebounds in 28 minutes, he’s useless. — But
— and that’s on him, yeah, right, 100%. There’s nothing for the Cavs. There’s nothing for Kenny to do to scheme something up for him or anything like that, — you know what you
— can do. Here’s how this works. Hey, uh, you just got your minutes. Cut in half. So you’re gonna sit here and then you’re gonna feel what it is to be on the bench and not be there in crunch time and be like, wow, Jared Allen’s not in the game. See this is how, listen, DeAndre Jordan, same thing happened to him. A lot of these dudes that’s energy guys, rim runners, garbage dudes, uh, uh, Kenneth Faried, if you can’t be out there, if you’re, if you’re a guy that’s supposed to be energy but you ain’t having energy. I can. I only got 12 minutes, but, but also and like everybody’s crapping on and myself included crapping on Jerry right now. A lot of this is overblown because it was the first game, so everyone’s paying more attention to it. He’ll be fine. Like he’s, he’s gonna put up the numbers that he puts up. It’s the postseason that is what you’re basically. — Is there a
— trade like I, I, I know it’s one game. — There’s no trade for
— him. No, no, Mike, let me ask you this second apron, Mike, um, I, I think Mike, and I know the question was what’s gonna, you know, what should you look to be different tonight? It’s not a really, it’s, it’s, it’s, we’re not gonna learn much because the Nets are so bad and the Knicks are one of the top teams. So they’re gonna come out tonight. They’re they’re gonna look like world beaters and everybody, you know, my concern was the rebounding. I don’t know what the final tally was, but to me it felt like we were outrebounded by at least double digits, and that was shocking to me because this is a good rebounding team and the Knicks had some pieces out. That you would have thought that we would have dominated the boards and we, we didn’t, we were dominated on the boarding a rebounds, and that’s, but the part of rebounding rebounding is. I just thought they got out and that’s what surprised me. Um, I’m, I’m fascinated. I’m gonna watch the Knicks closely this year just to see the difference. from Brown to from Ts like, OK, I know I expect the defense to be better, but are they gonna be that good rebounding the basketball all year? Mike’s a really good coach. They were a great coach. — I love
— rebounders, by the way. I know they were. That’s why I said Robinson. So, so for them to outrebound, I didn’t know it was that dramatic. I, — I would have guessed they had at least 10 rebounds more than we did
— 48 to 32. Well, that is stunning. And uh, who was their other big guy? Uh, and then like I only had 4 rebounds in the entire Cavs roster. That’s that can’t happen. But, but that was more or lack of a bunch of tons a lot of. Is the way that that is on the guards there were some plays where you could go back and watch and I can point out certain possessions where the effort from — Jar should have been ours
— and it wasn’t. And yeah, and they let the Knicks gets it. Do you think that’ll be a point of emphasis? OK hold on, hold on, here’s here’s where I will say this. In a season where the Cleveland Cavaliers have been hoisted to the top of the mountain. Because of the Celtics’ injuries, because of the Pacers’ injuries, and they said they’re the prohibitive favorite. We’re not gonna forget that this is the same team that got bullied by these Knicks. Yeah, it’s one game and then last year they were 4-0 against the Knicks. Yeah, it’s one game, but this, this is the measuring rod, the Knicks. So you’re right about that. It’s one. Now let’s see what happens when the Knicks come to Cleveland. I’m, — I’m curious but
— I’m glad Kenny, I’m Kenny laid down the law. I like that.

Cleveland Cavaliers (0-1, 11th in the Eastern Conference) vs. Brooklyn Nets (0-1, 13th in the Eastern Conference)

New York; Friday, 7:30 p.m. EDT

Cavaliers -12.5; over/under is 227.5

BOTTOM LINE: Eastern Conference foes Brooklyn and Cleveland meet on Friday.

Brooklyn finished 26-56 overall and 14-37 in Eastern Conference action last season. The Nets averaged 105.1 points per game last season, 43.5 in the paint, 17.1 off of turnovers and 14.3 on fast breaks.

Cleveland went 64-18 overall and 41-11 in Eastern Conference games during the 2024-25 season. The Cavaliers averaged 121.9 points per game while allowing opponents to score 112.4 last season.

INJURIES: Nets: Haywood Highsmith: out (knee), Danny Wolf: day to day (ankle).

Cavaliers: Max Strus: out (foot), Darius Garland: out (toe), De’Andre Hunter: day to day (knee). | https://www.espn.com/nba/preview/_/gameId/401809944

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