Evan Mobley and the Cleveland Cavaliers have a date with the Detroit Pistons in the second round of the NBA playoffs. Both teams struggled mightily versus opponents they should have handled in five games in the first round. Cleveland now has a great shot to make the Eastern Conference Finals. That would be a first for both Donovan Mitchell and Evan Mobley.
To achieve that, Evan Mobley has to be fully unlocked. There were many games in the past series where Mobley was able to score over 20 points. Against the Detroit Pistons, there will be even more opportunities to thrive. Jarrett Allen and Jalen Duren will be duking it out in the paint, but the Pistons do not have an answer for what Mobley can provide.
I think Mobley will be able to get to his spots and eat on the glass, too. Tobias Harris and Duncan Robinson are not the defenders that Scottie Barnes is, nor are the other players the Raptors had on the wing. The real defender the Pistons have is Ausar Thompson, and he will have his hands full with James Harden and Donovan Mitchell.
This is a match-up I see Evan Mobley finishing the series, averaging 20 points a game, and the Cavaliers frontcourt of Jarrett Allen and Mobley dominating. Mobley will also have to put an end to Tobias Harris’ hot scoring playoff start, which I think he is more than capable of doing as a former Defensive Player of the Year winner.
I think Cleveland will win this series, but how and when they close this series out directly depends on what version of Evan Mobley shows up in this series.
This article originally appeared on Trojans Wire: Cavs’ Evan Mobley will try to dominate Pistons’ frontcourt in Round 2