Evan Mobley showed he can swing the series against Boston

Mobley’s impact on both end changed Game 2 and possibly more for the Cavs.

In a shocking 118-94 Game 2 win for the Cleveland Cavaliers over the top-seeded Boston Celtics, there were contributions made from everyone. Donovan Mitchell scored his points, Caris LeVert produced off the bench, and everyone shot pretty efficiently from the floor. But the most impactful player for the Cavs may have been Evan Mobley.

Mobley has received plenty of criticism from fans and analysts for his underdeveloped offensive game. ESPN’s Brian Windhorst was the latest pundit to attack Mobley’s lack of scoring punch. Like Michael Jordan, he took that personally.

Against the Celtics in Game 2, Mobley finished with 21 points on 9-15 shooting, 10 rebounds, five assists, and two blocks. His defense was outstanding, helping him to finish with a +/- of +35 when on the court. Only Mitchell was higher at +38.

The defense wreaked havoc, as it normally does. Boston shot 4-10 on attempts within 10 feet of the basket that Mobley was defending, and 9-22 overall with him as the primary defender. When Mobley was guarding Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum, they combined to shoot just 3-10 from the field. That’s the level of impact that is even more impressive when considering the competition.

For Mobley, defense has been the bread and butter of his game. But in Game 2, the offense came alive in a meaningful way. He showed off his passing capabilities, ability to go up strong, patience and touch around the rim, and the shooting range that Cavs fans have clamored for. It was on display, on the national stage, and at the perfect time.

Mobley has always been a pretty decent passer, but some of these give-and-go passes out of the elbow or the mid-range gives the Cavs another playmaking option.

Those are some good passes on their own, but factor in that in some instances Mobley was going coast-to-coast or coming off a steal or block and they get more impressive. It’s a necessary wrinkle for the Cavs that has been missing at times.

Mobley also stepped into a three, with no hesitation, and it looked clean. The Celtics, rightfully so, did not contest all that quickly and gave Mobley the space to get off a good look. This has been said plenty of times before, but if the three-pointer becomes more of a weapon and forces opposing defenses to scramble, it changes the entire dynamic of the offense.

The vast majority of Mobley’s points, however, came from the paint. He looked pretty good there, with solid footwork and a blend of finesse and strength. The clip below shows him going up for a stronger take with Tatum bearing down and another instance where he uses his wingspan to get an easy finger roll over Al Horford. Mobley had a few turnaround jumpers as well, showing off good footwork to create a little bit of space to get up and over the likes of Luke Kornet. It was an impressive showing for Mobley on both sides of the ball, but the offensive skills are much more critical. The defense is going to be there, but the offense has been the question mark.

Game 2 was a big game for the evolution of Mobley. The Cavs need it, desperately, both in the short and long term. Boston will be more prepared for Mobley in Game 3, but it may not matter. And that's the exciting part of him playing like a star on the biggest stage, against the perceived best team in the league.