Recap: Cleveland Cavaliers lose 116-112

Cavs played an encouraging preseason game.

Cleveland Cavaliers basketball is officially back. The team might have dropped their first preseason game but there were plenty of things to rave about.

It was a stellar night from Evan Mobley. He recorded 17 points in the first half behind several impressive moves. He appeared more active than usual, freely dribbling the ball and hunting his own shot. This was the maximized version of Mobley we hoped to see.

Mobley wasn’t the only Cavalier who looked different. The team played with pace and emphasized three-point shooting. Head coach Kenny Atkinson has been tasked with revamping the offense and so far, so good.

The Cavs starters handled business with ease. Although Max Strus left early with a hip contusion, the Cavs core enjoyed a double-digit lead for most of the meaningful minutes of the game. It wasn’t until the extended garbage time of preseason that Chicago stormed back to take the lead — before Cleveland’s two-way players rallied to make it a tightly contested game.

JT Thor was a standout. he secured numerous extra possessions and made his impact felt defensively. He drilled his first three-point attempt and converted a handful of looks around the basket.

Rookie Jaylon Tyson wasn’t able to get himself going offensively but he led the team in rebounding despite playing just 12 minutes. He may not always impact the game with his scoring but Tyson should look to continue doing the little things, like tonight, if he wants to be a rotational player.

Aside from that, it was what you’d expect from a preseason game. The starters clocked out early and the bench looked rough around the edges. All in all, it just felt good to see the Cavs back in action with a new approach to offense.