Evan Mobley Opens Up About Cavaliers’ Special Season: ‘We All Believe That We Can Win A ‘Chip This Year’

During an interview with NBA writer D.J. Siddiqi of Basketball Insiders, Evan Mobley opened up about the Cleveland Cavaliers‘ special season. 

The Cavaliers have the top record in the East at 44-10. 

“I feel the difference is just our chemistry,” Mobley said. “Everyone is clicking on the same page and clicking at the same time. Everyone knows exactly where we’re going to be on the court and we’ve been having a great ball movement which has helped us a lot.”

The Cavaliers are second in the NBA in points per game, 11th in points per game allowed, first in offensive rating, eighth in defensive rating and second in net rating under first-year head coach Kenny Atkinson.

“I think this year is definitely the year for us and we all want to get to the championship,” Mobley said. “I feel like we all are on the same page with that and we all believe that we can win a ‘chip this year, so that’s the plan.”

The Cavaliers had three players make the All-Star team this year: Mobley, Donovan Mitchell and Darius Garland. 

“We’ve definitely been a defense identity team, but our offense has been very high level this year,” Mobley said. “I feel like our defensive slide has slipped a little bit, but these next few weeks when we’re getting ready for playoffs, we’re definitely going to key in on that.”

Mobley is averaging 18.5 points, 9.1 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 0.9 steals and 1.5 blocks this season while shooting 56.9% from the field, 37.8% from beyond the arc and 75.4% from the free-throw line. 

The Boston Celtics won the title last season, so Mobley knows the Cavaliers have to go through the champs to be the best. 

“They’re a great offensive team as well,” Mobley said about the Celtics. “If you get stops on them, it makes it tough on their offense. I feel like defense is the biggest thing for us. And defending the 3-point line, because they like to get a lot of 3-point shots up.”