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Evan Mobley's Cleveland Cavaliers hosted the sizzling-hot Boston Celtics on Tuesday. Mobley and teammate Jarrett Allen anchored the defense attempting to stop a team that had won its past 11 games.
Late in the third quarter, Mobley and Darius Garland executed a perfect pick-and-roll play. Mobley screened Derrick White before zooming into the paint to leave Celtics center Kristaps Porzingis behind. Jrue Holiday tried to slap the ball away from him but Mobley prevented that before slamming the ball uncontested.
Many were surprised to see that he slumped to the floor after the dunk. He writhed in pain under Cleveland’s basket for over a minute before hobbling back to the bench. The No. 3 pick of the 2023 draft was checked by trainers before he stood up and limped into the locker room.
Based on the reports of the commentators, Evan Mobley will not be coming back after spraining his ankle. He played 23 minutes and finished with four points, six rebounds, four assists and two steals. His numbers do not jump out but he played a crucial role in keeping the Cleveland Cavaliers within striking distance of their highly-touted opponents.
The Cavaliers will be desperately hoping Evan Mobley will not be out for long
Leading into the matchup against the Boston Celtics, the Cleveland Cavaliers hold a 39-21 record for third in the Eastern Conference. They are only 3-4 after the All-Star break partly due to the left knee injury of superstar Donovan Mitchell. Cleveland’s slide has allowed the Milwaukee Bucks to overtake it in the standings.
The Cavs are in danger of dropping out of the top four if Evan Mobley joins Mitchell on the sidelines for long. Cleveland could also lose potential home-court advantage in the first round of the playoffs if they continue to slide. They may even drop further and battle in the play-in tournament if the Miami Heat and Indiana Pacers surge into the rankings.
The Cavaliers will be crossing their fingers the defensive ace will not be out for long as the team jockeys for playoff positioning.
Guess the Lakers players!
