{"id":16776,"date":"2022-10-27T17:45:18","date_gmt":"2022-10-27T16:45:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/praizsports.com\/coach-j-b-bickerstaff-on-getting-evan-mobley-more-involved-offensively\/"},"modified":"2022-10-27T17:45:18","modified_gmt":"2022-10-27T16:45:18","slug":"coach-j-b-bickerstaff-on-getting-evan-mobley-more-involved-offensively","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/praizsports.com\/coach-j-b-bickerstaff-on-getting-evan-mobley-more-involved-offensively\/","title":{"rendered":"Coach J.B. Bickerstaff On Getting Evan Mobley ‘More Involved’ Offensively"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Cleveland Cavaliers Coach J.B Bickerstaff described the first week of Evan Mobley\u2019s sophomore season as an extended preseason.\u00a0<\/p>

\n
\r\n
<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n

The USC product suffered an ankle injury and was forced to sit out at the end of training camp and Cleveland\u2019s first three preseason games. Because of that untimely injury, Mobley lost the valuable opportunity to play alongside the combination of Darius Garland, Donovan Mitchell, and Caris LeVert. <\/p>

\n
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n

Without sizable time to find a rhythm post-injury and to build chemistry with the Cavs\u2019 new backcourt in Garland and Mitchell, Mobley feels like he has \u201cgotten off to kind of a slow start,\u201d per The Athletic.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Following Sunday\u2019s OT win against the Washington Wizards, the 21-year-old hadn\u2019t taken double-digit shot attempts this season. On Sunday, Mobley shot 28.6 percent from the field and finished with two field goals.\u00a0<\/p>\n

After Tuesday\u2019s practice, Bickerstaff said, \u201cwe\u2019ve gotta get him more involved.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cAgain, it\u2019s a mix of time together and where he was in the preseason and then him coming back and then Darius being gone. There are some things that we\u2019re still working through. He\u2019s so skilled and so talented, and we want him involved in our offense in a bunch of different ways.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n

pic.twitter.com\/9PmVr6NJaY<\/p>\n

\u2014 Cleveland Cavaliers (@cavs) October 27, 2022<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Bickerstaff likes the shots Mobley is taking but wants him to take more. The Cavs believe Mobley is \u201cthe guy who can help take [them] to the next level.\u201d In his rookie season, the center averaged 15 points on 50.8 percent from the field, 25 percent from three, and 66.2 percent from the free-throw line. For Cleveland to rise to a championship-level team, they need Mobley to continue to improve his strength and consistency.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cEvan\u2019s basketball IQ is what we teach every single day,\u201d Bickerstaff said during training camp. \u201cWe were talking about teaching guys how to play basketball; that\u2019s what Evan excels at naturally. He just understands the game at a higher level than most second-year players do, and even as a rookie.\u201d<\/p>\n

Mobley is looking to play with more freedom and ease on offense, becoming a simultaneous creator and attacker.\u00a0<\/p>\n

At Wednesday morning\u2019s shootaround, he said he is \u201cgoing to stay consistent with it.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>

\n
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n

\u201cI know shots are going to start falling, and I\u2019m going to be in a better position to take those shots as well.\u201d<\/p>\n

On Wednesday night against the Orlando Magic, Mobley seemed to have regained some of his flow. The second-year center finished with 22 points on 9-15 shooting, including 17 points in the second half.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cHe was determined to help us win this game,\u201d Bickerstaff said. \u201cWe know what he\u2019s capable of. We believe in him a lot. And he was attack-minded, and he went out to prove a point. I think he did that.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n

Step back 2⃣ #LetEmKnow pic.twitter.com\/24Vi3YypFd<\/p>\n

\u2014 Cleveland Cavaliers (@cavs) October 27, 2022<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Teammate Dean Wade added: \u201cevery time he touched a ball, he\u2019s looking to be aggressive. That\u2019s always good to see, especially out of him. Sometimes he goes to make a play but doesn\u2019t look to score, and I think tonight he was always looking to score, and that\u2019s what we needed him to do. So wh n he plays like that, we\u2019re a hard team to beat because he\u2019s going to take at least two guys to stop him. And he\u2019s obviously a great passer, so he can make those passes out. Tonight was exciting to see him just attack every time he touched it. It was fun.\u201d<\/p>\n

Mobley\u2019s bounce-back game helped the Cavs seal a 103-92 win over the Magic and earned him the infamous Junkyard Dog Chain award for the night.<\/p>\n

\n
\n
\n

EV4 \"🥶\"\r\n\r\n\"🤟\" #LetEmKnow pic.twitter.com\/El6kKHhCU0<\/p>\n

\u2014 Cleveland Cavaliers (@cavs) October 27, 2022<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n

While he may have gotten off to a slower start to the season, Mobley looks to build on his 22-point performance against the Boston Celtics tomorrow night.<\/p>\n

The post J.B. Bickerstaff On Getting Evan Mobley \u2018More Involved\u2019 Offensively appeared first on SLAM.<\/p>\n

\n
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Source<\/a><\/p>\n

\n