The best three minutes of Evan Mobley’s career, so far

Cavs news and links for Tuesday, November 5th.

Evan Mobley just put together the most impressive three-minute stretch of his Cleveland Cavalier career. Let’s take a look at what he did.

The first sip

We’ve all been waiting for Mobley to make the proverbial leap. Through eight games, I’d describe Mobley’s performances as leaping. He looks like a player who is punching through to the next level and this stretch against the Milwaukee Bucks was everything you could hope to see.

It begins with Mobley bringing the ball up the floor after a rebound. The Cavs have worked to give Mobley increased opportunities as a ball handler — especially in the opening minutes of the second quarter. This consistent game plan has made Mobley more comfortable in his role. He knows when and where his touches are coming from — and even if he messes up, Mobley knows he’ll get another opportunity in due time.

So on the first play, Mobley walks up the floor, puts his body into Bobby Portis and then bursts around him for a reverse dunk before anyone on Milwaukee can rotate to cover him.

Shortly after, Mobley puts two more points on the board by going straight at Portis 1-on-1. He wastes no time or motion by pump-faking like he would in the past. This is an assertive move that has yielded great results for Mobley.

And here we have the highlight of the night. Mobley showcases his freakish ability to protect the rim. Something we’ve seen plenty of times. But after the block — Mobley grabs the board and switches into second gear, darting down the floor and plowing through Gary Trent Jr. for a left-handed jam. This is strength, speed and vertical athleticism all in one play.

The above play is arguably the best play of Mobley’s career. It’s an example of the two-way dominance we’ve all been waiting to see. But the run doesn’t end here — because on the next play, Mobley steps behind the three-point line and buries a triple to continue dazzling the crowd.

Finally, this stretch of greatness ends with an admittedly awkward assist to Sam Merrill, who cans another triple.

In total, Mobley sparked an immediate 10-0 run for the Cavaliers behind two dunks, a block, a three-pointer of his own, and an assist. This was a dynamic display that has us eager to see what comes next for the 23-year-old rising star.

NBA links of the day

• HoopsHype NBA Power Rankings
• NYT: What to Watch for in NBA this Week
• Dream and Realistic Trade Targets for Every NBA Team