What Does It Mean for the Cleveland Cavaliers to be 9-0?
Last night, the Cleveland Cavaliers defeated the New Orleans Pelicans 131-122 to remain undefeated and improve their record to 9-0. With the win, the Cavs are two games ahead of the 7-2 Boston Celtics and four and a half games ahead of the third and fourth-seed Indiana Pacers and Brooklyn Nets. The Eastern Conference has looked severely lackluster to start the season, with only the four teams mentioned having a .500 record. This Cavs team is looking to exact revenge on their early playoff exits the past two seasons. Last year, Cleveland was eliminated by the eventual champion Boston Celtics during Game Five of the Eastern Conference Semifinals. With the Cavaliers picking up some well-needed and well-earned wins early on in the season, what does it mean for this team going forward?
Evan Mobley: Defensive Player of the Year?
Power forward Evan Mobley is in his fourth NBA season and has made extreme strides year after year. In 2022, he made the NBA’s All-Rookie First Team, and in 2023, he was awarded to the NBA’s All-Defensive First Team. On the season, through eight games, Mobley is averaging around 18 points, eight rebounds, three assists, a steal, and two blocks in 30 minutes a night. He has recorded three blocks against teams like the New York Knicks, Milwaukee Bucks, and New Orleans Pelicans in three of his eight games. Cleveland has become reliant on Mobley’s and Jarrett Allen’s defense, and what they bring to the table in the frontcourt is scary. Mobley’s efficient defense causes opportunities for the Cavs offense to score quickly. The big man does have some offensive prowess within his game, as he dropped a season-high 25 points during a 134-110 win against the Los Angeles Lakers. 2024-2025 will be the season Mobley makes leaps and bounds to make his first all-star game and be nominated as Defensive Player of the Year. He certainly has the potential to do so; it is just whether or not he stays healthy and motivated enough to lead this Cavs team to greatness.
Can Backup Point Guard Ty Jerome Continue to Stay Consistent?
Cavs backup point guard Ty Jerome has had a rough stretch during the early part of his NBA career, to say the least. He’s played on four different teams in six seasons. Last season, Jerome played just two games with Cleveland. However, this season, the 27-year-old point guard is close to averaging a career-high in points, assists and steals. Jerome averages about nine points and three assists in nine games. There’s been two instances this season where he’s recorded a season-high of 14 points against the Washington Wizards and the Lakers. If the young point guard can continue to put up numbers behind starter Darius Garland, this team may continue to find more cultivated success. Jerome must continue to play consistently, learn, and grow every day. By playoff time, he could play a huge factor for this Cavs team off the bench.
Will Okoro Develop to the Next Level?
There have been many positives for this Cavs team this season, but one big question this team lies in their shooting guard/small forward Issac Okoro. While he is known for being a defensive-minded player, he’s only averaging five points a game on 48 percent shooting in nine games, two of those games he started in. His defensive numbers are around the same from past seasons, and while that’s fine for now, it’s mainly because this team is undefeated. Once this team goes through a rough patch in the season, they’ll need guys like Okoro to step up, develop their game, and find their footing within the NBA landscape. Okoro has the potential to be a dangerous defensive player; it just matters when he figures everything out within his game and elevates to new heights.
