Evan Mobley Shows Up For The Cavs In Jarrett Allen's Absence

Evan Mobley helped the Cleveland Cavaliers get a victory over the Charlotte Hornets, even with Jarrett Allen sidelined with an eye injury.

It appears that the Cleveland Cavaliers dodged a massive bullet after Jarrett Allen was diagnosed with just an eye contusion and nothing more serious after being poked in the face on Friday night.

The outcome could've been much worse for Allen and the Cavs, but they still need to be prepared to miss their starting center for a few more games.

For most teams, the prospect of going an extended period of time without their main man in the paint may seem like an impossible task, but not for Cleveland.

The Cavs luckily have two players in their starting lineup, including JA, that could be starting centers on just about any other NBA team. The other big man is second-year man Evan Mobley. 

Mar 12, 2023; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers forward Evan Mobley (4) drives through Charlotte Hornets guard Dennis Smith Jr. (8) and center Nick Richards (4) during the first half at Spectrum Center. Mandatory Credit: Brian Westerholt-USA TODAY Sports

Mobley has found a home as Cleveland's starting power forward, but that doesn't mean he can't slide up and play the five when he's needed to. He showed this on Sunday evening against the Charlotte Hornets.

He got off to a slow start both on offense and defense. Mobley was scoreless in the first quarter and picked up two quick fouls that sent him to the bench. Even when the first half ended the Cavs' starting center was looking for his rhythm.

But everything changed in the fourth quarter.

Cleveland was down heading into the final period and they were looking for anything to get them going. The something was Evan Mobley who absolutely exploded to help give the Cavs the late lead and the win.

Mobley finished the fourth quarter with 10 points and three big rebounds. He was active in the paint giving the Cavs plenty of second-chance opportunities such as this one. 

EV4 CLEANS IT UP! 🧹@evanmobley | #LetEmKnow pic.twitter.com/T6fpq4T9an

— Cleveland Cavaliers (@cavs) March 12, 2023

Paint domination is something that Allen is known for and could be missing with him, not on the floor. But Mobley showed in this one that he can act as the centerpiece and go up strong under the rim. 

It's wild to look back on the early part of this season and see that some thought Mobley was taking a step backward after his incredible rookie season. His stats may look similar to last year, but this game is just one example of how he's growing as a player in so many ways. 

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