Cavaliers Forward Goes Viral Against Bucks After Highlight Sequence

Evan Mobley pulls off highlight play for Cleveland Cavaliers in win over Milwaukee Bucks.

Nov 4, 2024; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers forward Evan Mobley (4) drives to the basket against Milwaukee Bucks center Brook Lopez (11) during the second half at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images / Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

The Evan Mobley breakout season is more than just a hypothetical topic to talk about following a limited sample size in the preseason.

We're now eight games into the new year, and the Cleveland Cavaliers forward has shown on multiple occasions he's taking the jump to be an all-around star right before our eyes.

Fans and analysts took notice of this play against the Milwaukee Bucks, and the clip went viral on NBA's X account on Monday night.

Block the shot.
Secure possession.
Push it 94 feet.
Hammer it down.

This Evan Mobley sequence 🤯

He's up to 14 points on NBA TV: https://t.co/nmLIQZ9zn7 pic.twitter.com/oNeZnUoknr

— NBA (@NBA) November 5, 2024

We can break down this sequence in a couple of ways.

First, this is a direct byproduct of the Kenny Atkinson effect. Instead of slowing the pace down after making the block, Mobley pushes the ball up the floor to keep Cleveland moving in transition. Atkinson said last week the team will continue to push Mobley to be the team's ball handler in certain situations, and this is a great example of that.

Next, let's talk about why this sequence was extra impressive for Mobley.

Watch the play again. Look at which hand he uses on both ends of the play. Mobley is a right-handed dominant player, and used his off-hand to both block the shot and throw down dunk in traffic on the other end of the floor. This is the natural talent Mobley posseses that just can't be taught or coached.

Oct 26, 2024; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers forward Evan Mobley (4) dribbles the ball up the court against the Washington Wizards during the third quarter at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Reggie Hildred-Imagn Images / Reggie Hildred-Imagn Images

Mobley is now averaging 17.6 points, 8.1 rebounds, and 2.8 assists through the season's first eight games. The version of Mobley we're seeing right now is way more confident and aggressive, as seen in this play.

This newfound confidence will certainly lead to future sequences such as this one.