Evan Mobley was in a league of his own. He put on a show and almost single-handedly helped the Cleveland Cavaliers, who are off to a fantastic start this season, preserve the best record in the NBA on Saturday.
The fourth-year forward, who was drafted No. 3 overall out of USC, was on fire scoring a career-high 41 points, shooting 6-for-8 from 3-point range, with 10 boards and three rejections in the Cavaliers 116-102 road win over the depleted Charlotte Hornets.
With their fourth consecutive win, the Cavaliers improved to 21-3, 1.5 games in front of the defending champion Boston Celtics (19-4) for the NBA’s top record.
Mobley’s previous career-best was 38, accomplished back in January of last year versus the Milwaukee Bucks. Ironically, he did not have his perimeter game working that night, shooting 0-for-2 from downtown. Mobley is not known as a prolific outside shooter, and the most 3s he had previously made in a game was three. He wasted no time in surpassing that total in the first quarter against the Hornets, burying five shots from the great beyond.
The blitz began in the first quarter with Mobley scoring 23 points, tied for the third-most in an opening frame by a Cavaliers player in franchise history. Kevin Love scored 34 against the Portland Trail Blazers in 2016, while LeBron James tallied 24 in 2008 against the Chicago Bulls in the ‘House That Jordan Built’.
Embed from Getty ImagesMobley outscored the Hornets by himself in the first quarter as Cleveland raced out to a commanding 22-point advantage, 40-18, in the opening 12 minutes.
Mobley’s feat was even more special because of his age. At 23, he is one of only two players to record 40+ points, 10+ rebounds, 3+ blocks and 5+ 3-pointers in a game while under the age of 25. The only other NBA player to do that is Kevin Durant, when he was a member of the Oklahoma City Thunder according to StatMuse.
Durant made that happen in a December 8, 2008 matchup when he was with the Thunder playing the Golden State Warriors. He tallied 41 points, 10 rebounds and three blocks, while shooting 6-for-10 on 3s.
The Hornets are mangled by injuries in their frontcourt, and that was put on full display by Mobley. Mark Williams returned to the lineup earlier this week and put up a dozen points on Saturday. But Miles Bridges (bone bruise), Moussa Diabaté (illness), Tidjane Salaün (sprained ankle) and Nick Richards (sprained ankle) all were sidelined for Saturday’s matinee. Grant Williams is out for the season with a torn ACL.
Charlotte was also without leading scorer LaMelo Ball, who is on the shelf with a left calf strain. At 6-16, the Hornets have the second-worst record in the Eastern Conference, with the Washington Wizards at the bottom.
Donovan Mitchell and Darius Garland each scored 18 for Cleveland. Mitchell also cleaned the glass with eight rebounds, while Jarrett Allen collected 10 boards. Brandon Miller, who has really stepped up in Balls absence, led the Hornets with 25 points.
The Cavaliers continue their road trip on Sunday at Miami to take on Jimmy Butler and the Heat.
The Hornets travel to Indiana to play the Pacers in a second game of a back-to-back on Sunday.
