It has been a great season for most of the former Trojans in the NBA so far. This past week, the Chicago Bulls’ DeMar DeRozan was unstoppable from mid-range, and his teammate Nikola Vucevic proved himself to be one of the league’s best passing centers. Though Evan Mobley struggled offensively, he was still able to help the Cleveland Cavaliers stay at the top of the Eastern Conference.
Evan Mobley, Cleveland Cavaliers (2-1)
Though the Cavaliers won two of their three games this week, they stumbled to a slow start in every game. Particularly when point guard Darius Garland was absent, they struggled to find a rhythm on the offensive end. Cleveland was down 19 points at the end of the first quarter in their comeback victory against the Indiana Pacers on Friday, and it took a strong second half for them to turn things around.
Evan Mobley is averaging 12.3 points, seven rebounds, two assists, 1.3 steals and 1.3 blocks over the last three games, below his season average in all but steals. Though Mobley has excelled at defending multiple positions this season, he needs more experience to be a better help defender. One of Mobley’s main tasks against the Philadelphia 76ers on Saturday was to help Jarrett Allen guard Joel Embiid, but other 76ers scored with relative ease because of the inaccurate timing of Mobley’s help defense.
Recently, 6-foot-11 Mobley’s matchups were with players at least four inches shorter than him: 6-foot-6 Keldon Johnson, 6-foot-7 Oshae Brissett and 6-foot-7 Tobias Harris. Those matchups would have provided Mobley with plenty of opportunities to attack and score at the rim if he had caught the ball inside the paint. However, Mobley didn’t scramble actively for the ball in the post. Whether it was the team’s tactical considerations or Mobley’s personal decision to position himself outside the paint, not taking advantage of his size was a huge missed opportunity.
Mobley had an average of nine shooting attempts per game last week, which is three shots fewer than his season average. The Cavaliers have been playing with a three-big starting lineup since the beginning of the season, allowing them to benefit from their lengthy and athletic players like Allen, Mobley, Lauri Markkanen and Dean Wade. However, limited space is a problem offensively. Playing alongside Allen, who scores 12.6 of his 16.2 points in the paint each game this season, Mobley should take more distant shots.
DeMar DeRozan, Chicago Bulls (3-1)
DeMar DeRozan has shattered Wilt Chamberlain’s NBA record after posting his seventh consecutive game with at least 35 points on at least 50% shooting.
With the absence of multiple key players, DeRozan’s offensive dominance was on full display during last week’s four games, where he averaged 36.8 points on 59.8% shooting. Though he only attempted seven 3-pointers, his versatile offensive skills made him unstoppable inside the 3-point line. DeRozan also had 5.5 rebounds, 4.8 assists and one steal per game.
DeRozan scored 38 points in the Bulls’ win over the Oklahoma City Thunder on Saturday. He contributed 11 points in the fourth quarter, including two clutch mid-range shots with two minutes left in the game to seal the win.
Nikola Vucevic, Chicago Bulls (3-1)
Nikola Vucevic has taken on more offensive responsibility due to injuries to Zach LaVine and Lonzo Ball. Vucevic averaged 22 points, 12.8 rebounds, 3.8 assists, one steal and 1.3 blocks over last week’s four games.
Vucevic posted 18 points, 16 rebounds, eight assists and three blocks in the Bulls’ victory over the Charlotte Hornets on Feb. 9. In this game, he was more focused on defense and ball movement, including two crucial assists in the fourth quarter.
As one of the veterans on the Chicago Bulls, Vucevic has displayed his ability to influence the game in different ways. He was not only able to score both in the paint and from the 3-point line but also led and facilitated his teammates on the offensive side of the ball.
Kevin Porter Jr., Houston Rockets (0-3)
Though the Rockets lost three games last week, Kevin Porter Jr. elevated his performance, especially on the offensive end. Porter Jr. contributed 21.7 points per game while shooting 53.7% from the field and 57.7% from beyond the arc. He also averaged 3.3 rebounds, seven assists and one steal per game.
As a young player, Porter Jr. showed improvement through learning from his mistakes. Porter Jr. posted 27 points on 9-of-16 shooting from the field in a loss to the New Orleans Pelicans on Tuesday. Two days prior, he scored only eight points against the same team.
Porter Jr. was more efficient in pick-and-rolls and 3-pointers over the last three games. As Porter Jr. expands his skills and improves his understanding of the game, he will make better decisions on both ends of the court.