Evan Mobley is gaining confidence in his shooting ability and is taking more three-point shots for the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Evan Mobley experienced a near two-month absence earlier this season due to a knee injury. During his recovery period, the Cleveland Cavaliers underwent a transformation in their offensive strategy, placing a heavy emphasis on three-point shooting—a facet of the game that wasn’t previously a significant part of Mobley’s repertoire. It’s worth noting that Mobley isn’t inherently poor at shooting threes; rather, he simply hasn’t consistently attempted them throughout his first two and a half seasons in the NBA, thus not yet earning the label of a three-point threat.
Upon Mobley’s return from injury, coach J.B. Bickerstaff acknowledged that the next stage of his development would involve incorporating more three-point attempts into his game to aid in the team’s spacing. Presently, we are witnessing this anticipated evolution in Mobley’s playing style.
In the five games since his return, Mobley has noticeably emphasized taking more shots from long range. He’s been averaging just over one three-point attempt per game, and impressively, he’s converted 71% of them, hitting 5 out of 7 attempts. Against the Sacramento Kings, Mobley went 3 for 3 from beyond the arc, and he made both of his three-point attempts against the Washington Wizards.
While it’s important to acknowledge that this data is based on a very limited number of games, it still represents progress for Mobley, especially considering that he only made 45 three-pointers over the course of his first two seasons in the league.
Mobley himself has acknowledged his efforts to improve his shooting. He stated, “I’ve been working on that for a while and just try to go out there and shoot them with confidence. They’ve been dropping recently. So, I’ll just keep shooting and keep trusting my work.”
The Cavaliers’ increased reliance on three-pointers is well-known, and this strategy has proven to be effective for the team. While Mobley doesn’t necessarily need to shoot four three-pointers per game to make a significant impact, given his status as an all-NBA defensive player and his proficiency in the paint, the signs of improvement in his long-range shooting indicate his growth as a player. This development presents a daunting challenge for opposing defenses across the league.
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