Upon receiving the basketball, Evan Mobley was determined to close the door. Holding a three-point lead with a minute to go, the 6-foot-11 center showed off his offensive improvements to a national audience when he drove through an Isaiah Hartenstein contest and flicked a floater over his reach that went over the rim.
Mobley’s game-sealing basket was the cherry on top of a dominant team performance Cleveland Cavaliers“Frontcourt. Mobley finished with 21 points, 10 rebounds, and 7 assists. Jarrett Allen finished with 25 points, 11 rebounds, and six assists. The Oklahoma City Thunder Lost to the Cleveland Cavaliers 129-122.
While Hartenstein put in an impressive effort against both, the seven-footer struggled with serious problems due to his sheer size and talent. He only logged 30 minutes and committed five fouls. The Thunder’s lack of a sound backup center has been exposed.
While Chet Holmgren continues to check the boxes in his long recovery from a broken hip, his absence was the highest against the Cavaliers. You know what would have been a great counter to Cleveland’s big double-double lineup? OKC Special Edition.
The Thunder added Hartenstein in the offseason and dream of pairing him with Holmgren. The pre-season glimpses spark excitement because they fit together so seamlessly. Unfortunately, Hartenstein’s broken hand and Holmgren’s broken hip likely delayed their debuts until after the All-Star break.
It’s been two months since Holmgren suffered a broken hip. While the Thunder have yet to provide an official update on their return to play protocol now that they are in the 8-10 week schedule window, traveling with OKC on this four-game East Coast road trip is certainly a treat. Positive sign. The 22-year-old is doing quite a bit Light shootout action The MCU’s post-credit scene also teases Thunder fans.
The Thunder’s career-best 15-game winning streak has helped Holmgren fade into the background. But his absence was felt against the Cavaliers. The Hartenstein-Holmgren duo should dominate most matches. But where they can make their biggest impact is against fat and skinny frontcourts filled with All-Star players like the Cavaliers.