Now that Evan Mobley is out with an ankle injury, three of the Cleveland Cavaliers’ five starters will be absent for at least the next few games. The Cavaliers fell to seventh place in the Eastern Conference in the past week, while the Chicago Bulls maintained their fifth spot.
In the same week, De’Anthony Melton showed his value as a sixth man, boosting the Memphis Grizzlies into the upcoming postseason.
Evan Mobley, Cleveland Cavaliers (1-2 since March 26)
It’s an alarming time for the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Center Evan Mobley twisted his left ankle in a win over the Orlando Magic on Monday. Mobley was absent for the Cavaliers’ game against the Dallas Mavericks on Wednesday and is expected to miss at least the next two games.
The Cavaliers were surpassed by the Toronto Raptors, falling to seventh place in the Eastern Conference after they lost to the Chicago Bulls on Saturday. This means Cleveland still has work to do to guarantee a playoff spot.
Mobley struggled to score and find a rhythm in the loss to the Bulls, dropping nine points on 4-of-13 shooting from the field.
The Bulls defended Mobley with 6-foot-10, 260-pound Nikola Vučević, who was difficult for Mobley to cover defensively. On the other end, once Mobley received the ball deep in the post, the Bulls double-teamed him immediately, forcing rushed shots and turnovers.
Given Mobley’s injury, the Cavaliers might choose to sideline Mobley for the rest of the regular season to allow him to get healthy and prepare for the postseason.
The No. 3 overall draft pick is averaging 14.9 points on 50.6% shooting, 8.3 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 0.8 steals and 1.6 blocks per game this season. Among all rookies, Mobley is first in rebounds, blocks and field goal percentage. He is also fifth in scoring, eighth in assists and eighth in steals.
Mobley not only filled out his stat sheet with excellent and consistent individual performances, but he also helped the Cavaliers secure the first winning season without LeBron James on the roster since 1998.
The former Trojan is undisputedly the frontrunner for the Rookie of the Year award.
DeMar DeRozan, Chicago Bulls (2-1 since March 26)
Guard DeMar DeRozan and the Chicago Bulls bounced back this week to hold their No. 5 spot in the East with wins over the Cavaliers and the Washington Wizards and one loss to the New York Knicks. However, the Raptors, who have an 8-2 record in their last 10 games, are threatening to overtake the Bulls, currently holding the same record of 44-32.
DeRozan stepped up this week, averaging 29.7 points, six rebounds and 4.3 assists over his last three games. DeRozan posted 32 points, seven rebounds, four assists and two steals against the Wizards on Tuesday. He was dominant within the 3-point line, making 11 mid-range shots.
The other thing DeRozan excelled at against the Wizards was facilitating his teammates. Four assists doesn’t show the impact DeRozan made on the offensive end. DeRozan effectively directed the Bulls’ offense when he was double-teamed, which transformed into many indirect assists.
The Bulls have six games remaining in the regular season, and three of them are against top four teams in the East. Sitting at 2.5 games behind the No. 4 Boston Celtics, earning a home advantage in the first round seems difficult for the Bulls.
De’Anthony Melton, Memphis Grizzlies (3-0 since March 26)
Adding three more victories this week, the Memphis Grizzlies are riding a six-game winning streak. With only five games to go, the Grizzlies have secured the No. 2 spot in the Western Conference. The team might choose to rest their key players to prepare for the playoffs, including guard Ja Morant.
One interesting stat about the Grizzlies is that they are 19-2 without Morant, their best player. The amount of confidence and discipline the Grizzlies’ young players have on both ends has impressed everyone, and guard De’Anthony Melton is one of those players.
Melton had three highly efficient games this week, averaging 20.3 points on 61.1% from the field and 57.7% from behind the arc. Melton also posted 4.3 rebounds, 1.3 assists and one steal, all in just 22.3 minutes per game.
The Grizzlies’ play style focuses on ball and player movement, creating easy opportunities on the offensive end. The team is first in scoring, sixth in assists and fourth in offensive efficiency.
Even if the Grizzlies are inexperienced, this young squad is going to be scary in the playoffs.
Kevin Porter Jr., Houston Rockets (1-2 since March 26)
With a record of 20-57 as the end of the season approaches, the Houston Rockets might remain at the bottom of the West for the second straight season. To no surprise, the Rockets will land more than one high-profile prospect next season, such as Gonzaga’s Chet Holmgren, Auburn’s Jabari Smith or Duke’s Paolo Banchero.
However, for a team that already has multiple young core players, it is essential for the Rockets to figure out who should stay and leave.
The Rockets’ backcourt duo of guards Kevin Porter Jr. and Jalen Green has been considered to be the core of the team’s rebuilding process. But it doesn’t seem like they are heading in the right direction this season, especially Porter.
Porter didn’t show enough improvement as a young player, averaging 14.4 points on 40.6% shooting, 4.2 rebounds, 6.1 assists and 1.1 steals per game this season. Porter’s scoring, field goal percentage and assists decreased in his third season.
The upcoming offseason will be of great importance to all the Rockets’ young players, especially Porter because he will deal with a contract extension next year. Trades might be made if the management is not satisfied with their young players’ growth.