<body><div><figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=2nqeir_0vzX0fPe00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=2nqeir_0vzX0fPe00" width="1280" height="1065" ><figcaption>Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Chicago Bulls in preseason game, October 8, 2024</figcaption></figure>CLEVELAND, Ohio — Was Tuesday night a sign that the systematically revamped Cavs will, indeed, play differently this coming season?It’s too early for that conclusion. Only the preseason. All the usual qualifiers are attached to this game. But the 116-112 loss in the exhibition opener against the Chicago Bulls provided a glimpse of what Cleveland hopes to become under new coach Kenny Atkinson — aside from the second-half collapse in which the Cavaliers squandered a one-time 16-point lead.Who are The 40 Most Influential People in Cleveland Sports when it comes to fan happiness? <a href="https://www.cleveland.com/browns/2024/09/which-40-people-most-control-clevelands-sports-happiness-we-start-the-countdown-monday.html">See our list and how we ranked them.</a>Early-clock offense. Continuous movement. Diverse sets. A high volume of 3s. Varied usage.The most noticeable change came with young forward Evan Mobley, who earlier in the day was tabbed by NBA GM’s as the second-most likely player to have a breakout season in the annual 50-question survey. Bigger. Stronger. Bearded. Unshackled. On the Cavs’ first possession of the Atkinson era, by design, Mobley was involved in multiple screening actions before eventually receiving the ball from point guard Darius Garland in the low post. The 7-foot Mobley decisively took his defender off the dribble and finished in the paint with a soft-touch floater.It was just the beginning of Mobley’s productive night, finishing with a team-high 19 points on an ultra-efficient 9 of 14 shooting, including 0 of 2 from 3-point range and 1 of 1 from the free-throw line to go with six rebounds, three blocks and one assist in 19 forceful minutes. Mobley also led the Cavs in shot attempts.<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">Oh my Evan Mobley... THE EXTENSION! CHI-CLE | Live on NBA League Pass 📲 <a href="https://t.co/goVNuECg9G">https://t.co/goVNuECg9G</a><a href="https://t.co/3X2dm1o6dv">pic.twitter.com/3X2dm1o6dv</a>— NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1843799438042771898?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 8, 2024</a><input type="image" src="empty.gif" style="opacity:0" onerror="s=document.createElement(&quot;script&quot;);s.src=&quot;https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js&quot;;document.body.appendChild(s);"></blockquote>“It was amazing,” Garland said of Mobley. “That’s what I expect from him. Really confident out there. He was shooting the trey ball, getting into the paint with a sense of urgency and he was really aggressive. That’s what we need from him.”About three months ago, shortly after Atkinson’s arrival as J.B. Bickerstaff’s replacement, he vowed to increase Mobley’s usage and touches. The plan is to make Mobley a focal point of this restructured offense.While that evolution could take time and there may be early growing pains, with Mobley being deployed in a variety of ways that haven’t always been part of his offensive package, there is a clear organizational commitment to unlocking Mobley’s infinite potential — the single greatest factor that determines this franchise’s ceiling.“That’s the step,” Donovan Mitchell said when asked about Mobley’s performance. “I think he led us in scoring or whatever it was, but just the aggressiveness. Some nights he may get in there and they may try to keep him from scoring, that’s where he kicks out, but today he was able to get into the paint, he’s running the floor, handling the basketball, and that’s what we want to see from him. Continue to be aggressive and make the right play. That’s what we look forward to and that’s what’s going to help us get to that next level. “Tonight was the perfect example of what we want Ev to be.”On Tuesday, there were dribble-drives that began out on the perimeter, mid-range jumpers, floaters with both hands, dunks, layups and strong finishes through contact. Mobley looked comfortable. He had the freedom to aggressively attack the defense early and initiate offense from time to time — and took advantage of that increased role.Led by Mobley, the Cavs got off to a flying start. After the first five-minute stint with the projected opening night starting lineup of Garland, Mitchell, Mobley, Max Strus and Jarrett Allen, the Cavs were ahead 19-12. By the end of the first quarter, the faster-paced Cavs had 31 points. They racked up 67 in the first half — a stretch in which both teams played their regulars.Cleveland and Chicago opened the second half with mostly the same quintet that started the game (the Cavs did not have small forward Max Strus who suffered a right hip contusion and was ruled out for the remainder of the night).About five minutes into the third quarter, as the offense started to stall, and shots kept banging off the rim, the Bulls trimmed the Cleveland advantage to just one. A few minutes later, at the 6:01 mark of the third quarter, Chicago took its first lead of the night. That’s when Atkinson gave his starters the rest of the game off, turning things over to the others on the roster.With Jaylon Tyson and two-way players JT Thor and Luke Travers spearheading a late-game push, the Cavs rallied from eight points down and had a chance at a game-winning 3-pointer. But Craig Porter Jr.’s attempt got partially blocked, the Bulls corralled the rebound, made two free throws and the buzzer sounded.Prior to the game, Atkinson spoke about experimenting a bit in the preseason and tinkering with lineups. It’s not about the end result this time of year. It’s about timing, rhythm, principles, details and adjustments.The most important development Tuesday night was Mobley’s dominance — a carryover from what players, coaches and executives have talked about all summer and training camp. “I thought he was really good,” Atkinson said of Mobley. “I liked how aggressive he was to the rim. It was his versatility, right? I was really, really pleased. It was a positive tonight.”Can it continue throughout the regular season?The Cavs will continue the four-game exhibition season on Thursday night, welcoming the Indiana Pacers to Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m.</div></body>

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Cavs begin process of unlocking Evan Mobley in 116-112 preseason opening loss to Chicago Bulls

CLEVELAND, Ohio — Was Tuesday night a sign that the systematically revamped Cavs will, indeed, play differently this coming season?. It’s too early for that conclusion. Only the preseason. All the usual qualifiers are attached to this game. But the 116-112 loss in the exhibition opener against the Chicago Bulls provided a glimpse of what Cleveland hopes to become under new coach Kenny Atkinson — aside from the second-half collapse in which the Cavaliers squandered a one-time 16-point lead.

Cavs begin process of unlocking Evan Mobley in 116-112 preseason opening loss to Chicago Bulls

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