Mobley hit two baskets and one was a skewer, allowing the Cavaliers to win the battle against the Magic.
- as a center.
Earlier, I probably belonged to the group of people who first advocated that Mobley would be the second generation of KG, and I was overjoyed that he was in the defensive team of the year last season.
But on the flip side: his stagnation on the offensive end over the past two years (compared to his fellow Scottie Barnes), especially his lack of a consistent three-point shot, is weighing on the Cavaliers' offense.
It's not Mobley's problem itself, it's the Cavaliers roster structure:
Mitchell + Garland double guard offense, Mobley + Allen defense, is the Cavaliers system; Mobley sweeps and cruises, Allen protects the basket and eats cakes, and the twin towers do not complain about the lack of ball possession, which can be regarded as a harmony.
But on the offensive end, Allen definitely occupied a non-shooter position, and Mobley couldn't effectively pull the space, so the Magic's Moseley coach changed to the starter + pinched the ball carrier, bullying the Cavaliers with no space, and fell behind 0-2 to chase 2-2.
Today on Tianwang Mountain, Cavaliers center Garrett Allen can't play.
Mobley took the center.
In the Cavaliers' starters, Mitchell is known as 191 centimeters, Garland is claimed to be 185 centimeters, Strus is 196 centimeters, and Okoro is 196 centimeters - Mobley is a seven-foot man.
One big and four small formations.
Coach Bickerstaff put Merrill, Tristan Thompson and Morris on the line. Pull the space, fill the basket, and do your best.
So Mitchell and Garland took turns to break through to the basket at the beginning, and Mobley cut inside and played a headache for the Magic. Garland scored 17 points in the first quarter. Mobley defended himself against Wendell Carter and swept the basket.
The Magic couldn't rely on defense to take a three- or forty-point lead as they did in the previous two games. The whole game could only rely on Banchero's hand smooth, and he scored 39 points.
- Off topic.
Banchero is 6-foot-9 tall, and LeBron is 6-foot-8-and-a-half.
Banchero has a seven-foot arm span and LeBron has a seven-foot arm span.
Banchero is registered at 250 pounds and LeBron is registered at 250 pounds.
This season, Banchero had 23 points and seven rebounds on 7-of-18 shooting in 35 minutes, and LeBron had 26 points and seven rebounds on 6-of-18 shooting in 35 minutes.
Both are ball-handling forwards with 15% of their offense with the ball, 10% of their offense is back-to-back, 5% of their offense is inside cuts, and only LeBron has 28% of their offense is pick-and-roll, and Banchero has 19%.
LeBron is no longer a teenager, he can't continue to bomb the basket to create a threat, and the score is more based on playing mismatches (such as eating Murray with his back to the basket a few days ago, looking for a block and stealing Jokic), and Banchero is the same: he doesn't have a fresh attack, but he can continue to hit mismatches, such as today, against Okolo, who is half a head shorter than him.
With two minutes remaining, Banchero made a turnaround jumper to give the Magic a 98-97 lead.
Strus broke through the ball and Mobley dunked to put it up 99-98.
In the next round, Mobley finally went to face Banchero: his speed and height matched Banchero, Banchero had no misposition to play, and he missed the step back shot.
Mitchell made a free throw, 100-98, Banchero found two screens in a row, couldn't avoid Mobley, and threw a throw.
Garland scored and Mobley made a layup, and the Cavaliers were 102-98.
Wagner completed a turnaround layup to chase a gap of 2 points, and broke through again with 5 seconds left in the game, and was blocked by Mobley.
The outcome is decided. Mobley blocked Banchero with two last-minute shots, two baskets of his own, and a skullcap to decide the game.
- He played as a single center, one big and four small, opening up the space for the Cavaliers, and a basket at the end of his own also benefited from the Cavaliers' multi-point breakaway.
- Allen was injured today, and Mobley stood in the No. 5 position, the effect is similar to the Spurs in 2014 when Dior started and Duncan alone in the center, similar to the thick eyebrows in 2020 who stood at the No. 5 position, and the Bucks in 2021 who bombarded Ayton with Giannis, and even similar to this season when the Spurs put down Collins and used Wembanyama to stand at center: one big and four small, open up space, and decide the winner.
This game gave a glimpse of Mobley's real future:
Either get used to standing as a single center for a long time, or practice a three-point shot or high post strategy, in short, don't clog the offensive space, and then the Cavaliers will usher in a new era.
By 2028, he, Chet and Wembanyama will be approaching or reaching their peak one after another, perhaps monopolizing the annual defensive lineup, and then fighting the grown Banchero, Wagner, Shin Kyung, and Duren.
Well, it's a bit far. Or maybe they will get together and discuss, "Jokic is already 150 kilograms but can still move, should we collectively grow some meat to carry him?"
The Knicks lead Philadelphia by six points and are 29 seconds away from the Eastern Conference semifinals.
Then Maxi made a 3+1 and a three-pointer, forcibly changed his life against the sky, and dragged the must-lose game into overtime.
Reggie Miller: At Madison Garden, you can score eight points in eight seconds, it's a small thing.
But Miller's 8 seconds and 8 minutes in 1995, and Tianwangshan's 4th quarter 25 points in 1994 were 39 points, and the miracle was divided into two games.
Maxey's 46 points today surpassed Iverson's 44 points in the 2001 battle against the Bucks, and saved Philadelphia in the final half minute. The legend of the team's history has been fought.
Embiid shot 7-of-19 for the second straight game today, but had 10 assists, a career first playoff triple-double, and four blocks.
"Jokic can let Murray take over, and I'm right to let Maxey be in the limelight!"
Embiid had 10 assists today, eight of which were fed to Maxey.
And it's fed quite carefully.
Thibodeau's defense, famously blocking and dismantling the strong side of the three defenses and two, stifling the two-person turn. During the Celtics period, Lao Li won the 2008 championship with this move, and in those years, the Celtics and Bulls relied on this trick to compete against LeBron + Wade's Miami.
Maxey shot 17 of 30 today, but basically didn't borrow too much to block with the ball, mainly:
and Embiid (who is hard to get to the deep post) to make inside and outside passes and make strong shots.
One-on-one breakthrough Hart.
Cut out the receiver to pass the ball through or force a shot.
Call the super high cover to clear the inside line, and accelerate you directly without using the cover.
Probably knowing that calling a block and taking a cover with the ball will make the space narrower, Maxey focuses on a fast and agile game, without covering and not waiting for the Knicks to go around the path.
Maxey's style of play is shooting + dexterity, and he is probably the best player in the league at attacking and defending close out. On the Knicks' side, Hart is also fast, but the center of gravity is too high when defending Maxey's cut-out, and more than once Maxey cuts out to take the ball and looks up, Hart is stunned, and the next second Maxey has passed.
The Knicks also used to switch defenses, but Brunson was small and Maxey made a strong shot in front of him;
Hart: Didn't you train me in the end?
Thibodeau: That's Mike Brad coming and taking two hits!
With one and a half minutes left in the game, Embiid made his ninth turnover, and when Anunoby countered with a dunk, Knicks fans felt like they were going to win. When Maxi turned over to attack, Batum covered a high post with his right hand, and when Mike Brad was still looking at Batum, Maxi directly ignored the cover, accelerated the breakthrough with his left hand, and hit Brunson a 2+1.
Probably the whole Knicks realized it at that time, "This kid doesn't cover today, then we'll prevent him from breaking through!"
With 29 seconds left in the game, Maxey called Embiid to the line, suddenly bypassed the screen, shot a feint, Mitchell Robinson was shaken, and Maxey scored a four.
In the final round, Maxi bypassed Embiid's cover in the midfield and made a 10-meter three-point shot to tie the game at 97.
The whole audience didn't need to cover, and at the last moment, it was used.
The Knicks were hit twice in a row. Batum then knocked out Brunson and went to overtime.
In overtime, Embiid handed over, and Maxey once again bypassed the cover, faced Milo to switch defenses, and stepped back for three points. 100 to 102.
Knicks: Why did you go around the cover again?!
Then came Philadelphia's own struggle: Embiid blocked Hart's layup under the basket, Oubre countered with a dunk and the Knicks took a 103-102 lead.
Embiid grabbed one and hit a three-pointer. Brunson also took the last bullet. At 106 draws, Oubre borrowed Embiid's high post to cover the inside and got Batum's pass for a layup. Oubre and Batum blocked Brunson for two rounds, and the match was decided.
Maxey's bravery sent the game into overtime, but Philadelphia survived the team's defense. Oubre and Batum's efforts.
and, Embiid, who is willing to be a green leaf.
That score in overtime is hard to cover up Embiid's inconsistent shooting and 9 turnovers throughout the game.
But 10 assists include feeding Maxey eight, three flesh-and-wall screens and a presence under the basket in key moments. Outside of scoring, Embiid has a good attitude. "If you can't make it or pass it well, let's do something else!"
Today Maxey is like Miller in 8 seconds and 8 minutes (the shadow of New York fans), like Maddie in 35.13 seconds (playing four points), like the AI in 2001 when he was in a desperate situation (44 points in the seventh game against the Bucks), but Embiid is a green leaf, and the plot that makes Maxey break out is more like the 2006 Finals, the Sharks conceded the ball to Wade:
"Do you want to be a superstar? Don't you want to be Kobe and LeBron (Kobe Bryant's scoring champion, LeBron's regular season MVP second) your time has come!"
And so Maxi exploded and saved the season in Philadelphia — just when New York fans were already imagining the Eastern Conference semifinals.