Where I was wrong, from Evan Mobley to Kevin Love to Cedi Osman – Terry’s Talkin’ Cavs

Illustration by Ted Crow. Evan Mobley of USC is the Cavaliers' first pick in the 2021 NBA Draft at No. 3.
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CLEVELAND, Ohio -- I don’t know if the Cavaliers will make the playoffs. They probably won’t finish the season with a winning record. But I’ve had fun watching this team so far. And I’ve been wrong about more than a few things I thought and wrote as the season began:

1. While I liked Evan Mobley in the draft, I preferred Jalen Suggs over him at No. 3. Glad GM Koby Altman & Co. didn’t listen.

2. Suggs went No. 5 to Orlando, where he is having the usual rookie struggles. The guard is averaging 12.1 points, shooting 33% from the field and 24% on 3-pointers. Before injuring his elbow, the 7-foot Mobley played 15 games, averaging 14.5 points, 8.0 rebounds, 2.5 assists and shooting .494 from the field. Mobley is a 77% free-throw shooter and has good form on his jump shot.

3. At the time of Mobley’s injury, he was leading the NBA in “contested shots.” He was a huge asset on defense. Jarrett Allen ranked No. 1 in the NBA in dunks; Mobley was No. 3. Can’t wait to see the kid from USC back on the court.

4. I was ready to buy out Kevin Love. I was told Love’s attitude had improved and he’s was open to coming off the bench. I doubted it. But so far, Love has been a good veteran substitute.

5. The Cavs want to keep Love’s action to 20 minutes a game. He missed a few weeks due to a significant case of COVID-19 (he was vaccinated). But he’s come back. For the season, he’s averaging 10.8 points and 7.9 rebounds in those 20 minutes, shooting .386 from the field and .286 on 3-pointers. Best of all, he’s playing hard (despite his rusty shooting) and been a positive influence on his young teammates.

Cedi Osman is blooming in his fifth NBA season.

6. If they had traded Cedi Osman, that would have been fine with me. In an early season of pleasant surprises, the rise of Osman as a spark off the bench is perhaps the biggest for the Cavaliers. He is averaging 11.8 points in 22 minutes a game, shooting .485 from the field and a stunning .436 on 3-pointers.

7. It feels like Osman has been around forever because this is his fifth season. But he’s only 26. Only Love and Osman go back to the LeBron James Era.

8. I expected more from Isaac Okoro. It’s reasonable to expect more in a player’s second season. Most of the 19 year olds coming into the NBA are overwhelmed. It’s in their second seasons when you can begin to have a long-range view of their careers. Darius Garland and Collin Sexton both underlined that point. Mobley has been a remarkable exception, coming into the NBA and playing like a veteran.

9. Back to Okoro, who is averaging only 7.6 points, shooting .359 from the field and .184 on 3-pointers. He’s playing 30 minutes a game. His offense (which was iffy as rookie) has declined. It’s very dumb to write off a 20 year old with Okoro’s physical talent and good attitude. He also had a hamstring injury, so it’s been a rocky year.

10. That said, this is Okoro’s chance to establish himself as a defensive-oriented shooting guard. With Sexton (knee surgery) out for the year, the Cavs desperately need another guard to help the emerging Garland and veteran Ricky Rubio.

Ricky Rubio is averaging a career-high 15 points this season.

11. I really liked the acquisition of Rubio, but I had doubts when a top-level Cavs guy told me about Rubio’s scoring ability. He talked about Rubio dominating in the Olympics and his knack for scoring. In 2020-21, Rubio averaged 8.6 points in 26 minutes a game for Minnesota.

12. Well, Rubio is scoring a career-high 15.1 points. He’s shooting a career-best .363 on 3-pointers. His ball handling, passing skills and ability to make others better on offense have been apparent since he came into the NBA in 2011. This is his 11th NBA season. While his age is 31, he has been a pro since 16, dating back to his Euroleague days.

13. Coach J.B. Bickerstaff decided to open the season with the NBA’s tallest starting front line: Jarrett Allen, Lauri Markkanen and Mobley. All are in the 7-foot range. This in a league where 83% of the players are 6-foot-8 or shorter. I had major doubts about the team being fast enough to defend with all those big guys.

14. Long range, the Cavs still need a big-time small forward. But the Tall Three up front have been a defensive plus to the team. As I write this, the Cavs are on a five-game losing streak. Lots of close games, but losses. They miss the versatile Mobley. Markkanen and Love were out for some of those games.

15. But overall, the defense has been a major improvement. They are allowing 103.5 points, sixth fewest in the NBA. Their opponents’ field goal percentage is .452, 17th overall. They have been between 28th and 30th for years. They are No. 11 in defending 3-pointers. If you like analytics and stats such as Defensive Efficiency, the Cavs also are No. 11. They were No. 27 a year ago.

Something good is happening down at RocketMortage Fieldhouse.

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