The script has flipped! From a flawless 16-0 record, the Cavaliers are now down with four straight losses. And that’s NBA for you. Who could have seen this coming? A team once nearly impossible to defeat has now crumbled under the weight of consecutive blows. Before we press the panic button, Kenny Atkinson’s men are still holding on to their seat in the east, credit to their good start, but with playoffs knocking at the door, four is too much to bear. So, in a locker room heavy with guilt, one figure stepped forward. The leader. Donovan Mitchell raised his hand, accepting the blame for it all. But Evan Mobley wasn’t about to let him take it all on his own.
Following the 123-112 loss to the Suns, the media surrounded Mitchell in the locker room, pressing him about the team’s mindset. Without hesitation, he accepted full responsibility. “Put this on me, like when your leader ain’t doing, this is what happens,” Spida said. “We have to guard better, rebound, and like that. But if I’m not being who I need to be, then this, we’re not going to get to where we’re going to get to.” He acknowledged that he would eventually bounce back, but until that happened, he made it clear, “If you have anywhere to point, it’s right here,” as he pointed to himself. But when that team fails, there is no one man to be blamed, and Mobley, at the right time, wasn’t letting the 28-year-old throw himself under the bus.
“I don’t think it’s all on him,” Mobley immediately responded when he heard Mitchell’s comments. He disagreed with him, saying, “I feel like we all started slow.” Offering more insight into what went wrong for the team on Friday night and supporting Mitchell, Mobley added, “We weren’t getting rebounds, we weren’t necessarily getting stops, some shots weren’t falling for him or, and some other people as well. But we can’t, we can’t just, fall, put everything on him.”
The Cavs started strong, going neck-to-neck with Phoenix in the opening quarter, but things fell apart as their weaknesses were exposed. They struggled to control both ends of the court. And in a situation like this, instead of putting up big numbers, Mitchell ended the night with 7 points, 4 rebounds, and 3 assists. This hasn’t been the first time, though. Besides Evan Mobley grabbing 12 rebounds, the team had a tough time securing the offensive rebounds. The Suns took full advantage of those mistakes.
Jan 3, 2025; Dallas, Texas, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers forward Evan Mobley (4) celebrates with Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell (45) during the first half against the Dallas Mavericks at American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images
While they fought hard in the second half, Mitchell pointed out that they needed to come out stronger from the start. What happened was a lesson to fix the flaws, and they certainly would focus on improving their upcoming performances. So, Mobley felt it was time to address the issues and get ready for what’s ahead.
Evan Mobley delivers powerful message to Cavs locker room
It’s no secret that the Cavs have one of the strongest chances of making it to the NBA Finals this year, thanks to their impressive performance throughout the season. But a slip-up now could be costly, Mobley knows that. To keep their championship hopes alive, they need to focus on key areas. With that in mind, he shared some strong, wise words for the Cavs’ locker room.
The message was clear as Mobley highlighted, “We got to start off way better, that’s the biggest thing.” The team knows how to fight hard at the end, but Mobley suggested they need to bring that energy from the start. “We show some fight at the end, we’re going to take that positive, try to manufacture that into a whole entire game. We just start off slow. That’s the main thing,” he added.
The slow starts have been a major issue for the Cavs. If they can come out strongly in the first half, they won’t give opponents the chance to build momentum and take control of the game. Making this adjustment could work wonders for them. Now, it’s up to head coach Kenny Atkinson and his strategies to get the Cleveland side out of the slump and back on track.
The post Evan Mobley Saves Donovan Mitchell From Throwing Himself Under the Bus As He Demands Change in Cavs Locker-Room appeared first on EssentiallySports.