Most of what is being written about the Cavaliers this morning comes out of the 121-111 comeback over Washington. Some of it holds up against the box score, and some of it asks one night to carry a season.
Is Evan Mobley's three-point shot for real this time?
Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com wrote that Mobley's improved three puts him in a different class, and Fear The Sword says his leap could be upon us. Here is what backs that up: 5-of-6 from deep against Washington, 24 points, 12 boards and 10 of his points in the fourth quarter. That is one excellent night, not a season. King James Gospel says he is positioned to be an All-Star again. That is their call. The shot needs a month to prove itself.
Was Peyton Watson's 22 a breakout or just a hot night?
King James Gospel says his impact has been on full display, and Fear The Sword's grades had him finding his groove. Cleveland.com's podcast argued the game was about more than scoring. The numbers back the effort: 9-of-17 from the field, six rebounds and plus-4 in 28 minutes. The jumper is a different story at 1-of-4 from three. At $20.5 million, Cleveland needs that outside shot to start falling.
Did the defense really shut down Anthony Davis and Trae Young after halftime?
King James Gospel credits the second-half defense with neutralizing both, and that claim holds. Washington led by as many as 13 and put up 69 in the first half, then managed 42 after the break: 23 in the third and 19 in the fourth. Young shot 3-of-12 and Davis 8-of-18. A 9-0 run late in the fourth turned a one-point deficit into a 113-105 lead.
Is the bench carrying the starters, and does Meleek Thomas belong in the rotation?
King James Gospel says Kenny Atkinson has a bench full of answers and that Thomas gave him another reason to play him. Thomas went 4-of-7 and finished a team-best plus-11 in 20 minutes. Mario Hezonja was plus-10 and Sam Merrill plus-8. Still, the starters outscored the bench 89-30. On top of that, Thomas is day-to-day with a foot issue and Jaylon Tyson is day-to-day with a neck issue.
Are the star guards leaving the bigs hanging?
Cleveland.com's Wine and Gold Talk podcast says they are, and warns it could hurt in the spring. The Wizards game gives that some weight. James Harden shot 5-of-18, including 2-of-10 from three, and Donovan Mitchell had five turnovers to go with seven assists. Jarrett Allen got six shots despite 12 rebounds and three blocks. It is a fair concern, and 78 games are left to settle it.
How many threes did Evan Mobley make against the Wizards?
Five, on six attempts, in a 24-point, 12-rebound night in Cleveland's 121-111 win.
Are Meleek Thomas and Jaylon Tyson available at Atlanta?
Both are listed day-to-day, Thomas with a foot issue and Tyson with a neck issue. Both have an estimated return of October 29, the date of the Hawks game.
