Right at the top of the Cavaliers’ “to do” checklist for Game 3 of the Eastern Conference finals, in bold-faced capital letters, is the message “Get the ball to Evan Mobley.”
Added for extra emphasis, in bold-faced capital letters and underscored, are the words “in both halves.”
The Cavaliers, down two games to none, host the New York Knicks at 8 p.m., May 23, at Rocket Arena in Game 3 of the best-of-seven series for the right to advance to the NBA Finals against the winner of the Spurs-Thunder Western Conference finals. The game will be televised on ABC nationally and WEWS TV-5 in Cleveland.
Mobley drained a 3-pointer for the Cavaliers’ first basket before Game 2 on May 21 was a minute old. He hit from beyond the arc with 9:44 left in the first quarter for an 8-5 lead and scored on a driving layup to make it 17-11 Cavaliers later in the first quarter.
The ESPN commentators praised Mobley for being so versatile that he could hit from 3-point range on one possession and drive to the hoop for a layup or a dunk on the next. Mobley led the Cavaliers with 14 first-half points. The Cavs trailed, 53-49, at intermission.
Mobley was a 7-foot nothing on the offensive end in the second half. He played 18 minutes in the second half and did not take a shot.
“We have to get the ball to him in the pocket more in the pick and roll,” Cavs coach Kenny Atkinson told reporters in his postgame interview. “They (the Knicks) are clogging the paint. But I thought we did a great job hitting the perimeter guys.
“A bunch of swing, swing (passing the ball). A bunch of wide open 3s. You have to take what the defense gives you. Obviously, they’re trying to take away those guys (Mobley and Jarrett Allen). We have to look at it. Obviously, as well as Evan played in the first half, he should have more shots. We have to find a way to get them involved more even with the defense they’re playing.”
The Knicks overcame a 22-point fourth-quarter deficit to beat the Cavaliers in overtime, 115-104, in Game 1. It was the second-largest fourth-quarter comeback in NBA history, topped only by the Clippers overcoming a 24-point deficit in a game with the Grizzlies in 2012.
Game 2 was tied, 53-53, early in the third quarter. The Knicks went on an 18-0 run and never lost control.
The Knicks have won nine straight playoff games. The Cavs have lost three of four dating to the Game 6 home loss to the Pistons in the conference finals. Despite all that, the Las Vegas oddsmakers have established the Cavaliers as 2.5-point favorites to win Game 3.
“It’s how our whole playoffs have been, our backs against the wall,” Allen said. “We like to keep things interesting, keep everybody stressing about what the next game is going to be like. It’s no different from what we’re doing now. We have to take of home court.”
Game 4 is 8 p.m. May 25 at Rocket Arena.
Knicks forward Og Anunoby and center Karl-Anthony Towns fight for control of the ball with Cavaliers center Jarrett Allen and forward Dean Wade on May 21 in New York. (Yuki Iwamura – The Associated Press)
Knicks at Cavaliers
What: Eastern Conference finals, Game 3; Knicks lead the series, 2-0
When: 8 p.m., May 23
Where: Rocket Arena
TV: WEWS
Radio: WTAM 1100-AM; WMMS 100.7-FM