Evan

Mobley

Mobley will miss his second game in a row with a left great toe sprain. Merrill will also be out again with right elbow injury management. Without the two, Cleveland can play small with Peyton Watson or use Meleek Thomas and Jaylon Tyson off the bench.

This will be Mobley’s first absence of the season. Mario Hezonja is the likely candidate to replace him in the starting unit, though they could opt for a smaller starting unit with Peyton Watson at power forward, which would open the door for multiple players to fill in, including Meleek Thomas and Jaylon Tyson.

Limited to 19 minutes in Monday’s loss to the Hornets in his first game back from a knee injury, Allen played 32 minutes against the Knicks. The Cavaliers center recorded his second double-double of the season, with the 14 rebounds representing a new season high. Allen may not offer as high a fantasy ceiling as Evan Mobley (7/5/4 with four blocks and two three-pointers), but his floor makes him a must-roster player in all leagues.

After shining in Friday’s win over the 76ers and dominating his matchup against Joel Embiid, Mobley struggled against New York’s Karl-Anthony Towns. The Cavaliers center shot a respectable percentage from the field on Saturday, but there were no defensive stats to speak of. If Jarrett Allen (knee) returns on Monday against the Hornets, Mobley will slide over to his usual power forward spot.

With Jarrett Allen (knee) out, Mobley thoroughly dominated his matchup with 76ers center Joel Embiid. While “The Process” missed all nine of his field-goal attempts, Mobley shot well over 50 percent from the field and recorded a complete stat line. Through nine games, his fantasy value has aligned with his preseason ADP, a good start for those who invested a third-round pick in Mobley.

Allen exited early from Wednesday’s game, though it doesn’t seem like it will be a lengthy absence for him. He could be back on Friday, but if he’s out, Evan Mobley will likely shift over to center. Peyton Watson (hamstring) could be back, which would help soften the blow of Allen’s potential absence. The status of both players will determine the starting unit, though it’s worth noting Tyrese Proctor and Meleek Thomas each got a start over the last two games with Watson out.

Cleveland removed most of the drama from Saturday’s game with a 48-point second quarter, led by Mobley. Shooting 5-of-5 from the field, he scored 13 points in the quarter, and frontcourt sidekick Jarrett Allen added nine. Mobley played just one minute in the fourth quarter, or his stat line could have been more robust. The Cavaliers play four games next week, starting with the undermanned Thunder on Monday (home) and Wednesday (away).

For the first time since last December, Mobley has recorded at least three consecutive double-doubles. Against the Wizards, he established new season highs in points and rebounds. Mobley recorded no defensive stats on Wednesday, but he shot 5-of-6 from beyond the arc. Over the last two games, Mobley has gone 9-of-11 from deep, and he’s 12-of-18 for the season. Four games is a small sample, but Mobley spacing the floor better than in past seasons could be a game-changer for him and the Cavaliers.

Mobley was underwhelming in the season opener on Thursday, but he was able to showcase the uniqueness of his game in this one. He did a little bit of everything for fantasy managers, though the free throw percentage was rough. That’s never been a strength for Mobley, but he made up for it with a double-double to go with the defensive production, passing and deep-range shooting. If this is the level of production Mobley provides this year, he’ll finally reach the levels it seemed like he’d reach after his rookie year.

The good news for fantasy managers was that Mobley put up solid percentages and point and rebound totals. The bad news is that he offered no defensive production, and managers have increasingly relied on him for it as his career has progressed. Mobley will have better defensive nights, and Saturday’s matchup with the Nets may be more forgiving.