Evan Mobley on Tuesday produced his second straight 20-point double-double and helped the Cleveland Cavaliers defeat the Indiana Pacers on the road.
Mobley finished with 22 points, 12 rebounds, five steals, three assists and one blocked shot in 36 minutes of work during the 127-124 victory. He had a key tip-in off of a miss by Darius Garland to tie the game up with 33.6 seconds left that ultimately helped the Cavaliers win.
The third pick shot 8-of-15 from the field and became the first Cavaliers rookie to record at least 20 points, 10 rebounds and five steals in a game since Ron Harper on Feb. 10, 1987. The five steals by Mobley were a career-high.
J.B. Bickerstaff thought Mobley played a complete game.
I thought he was really good early in the game. He was, offensively, versatile. He was all over the floor. It wasn’t just the lobs (from Garland), he was playing face-up basketball, posting guys up. He was hitting the offensive glass and then he did what he does defensively: Protecting that paint, challenging shots.
The performance by Mobley followed up a 20-point, 17-rebound outing on Sunday in a win over the Toronto Raptors. He was the first Cavaliers rookie to reach those numbers in a game since LeBron James as his 17 rebounds tied a career-high.
Mobley, in 57 games, is now averaging 14.8 points, 8.2 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 1.7 blocked shots this season. He has often dazzled on defense given his ability to control the paint, but the 7-footer on Tuesday flashed his ability to play the passing lanes with his long wingspan.
He has proven to be a versatile player and is a huge reason why the Cavaliers are ranked fourth in defense and sixth in the standings in the Eastern Conference. The effort on Tuesday further proved how valuable Mobley has been this season.
This post originally appeared on Rookie Wire! Follow us on Facebook!
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