Evan Mobley almost single-handedly helped the Cleveland Cavaliers to the best record in the NBA on Saturday.
The fourth-year forward scored a career-high 41 points (6-for-8 on 3-pointers) with 10 rebounds and three blocks in the Cavs’ 116-102 win over the Charlotte Hornets.
With their fourth straight win, the Cavaliers improved to 21-3, 1.5 games ahead of the Boston Celtics (19-4) for the NBA’s top record.
Mobley’s previous career best was 38, set in January 2023 against the Milwaukee Bucks. (Interestingly, he hit no three-pointers in that game and shot 0-for-2.) And the most threes he had previously made in a game was three. He surpassed that in the first quarter against Charlotte, making five shots from long range.
The scoring barrage began in the first quarter when Mobley scored 23 points, tied for third most in an opening frame by any Cavs player in team history. (Kevin Love scored 34 against Portland in 2016, while LeBron James scored 24 against the Chicago Bulls in 2008.)
Mobley single-handedly defeated the Hornets in the first quarter as Cleveland jumped out to a 40-18 lead in the first 12 minutes.
Mobley’s performance was also notable for his age. At 23 years old, he is one of two players to record 40+ points, 10+ rebounds, 3+ blocks and 5+ 3-pointers in a game while under 25 years old. The only other NBA player to do that is Kevin Durant, according to StatMuse.
Durant accomplished that feat in a December 8, 2008 game when he played with the Oklahoma City Thunder against the Golden State Warriors. He scored 41 points. 10 rebounds and three blocks while shooting 6-for-10 on 3s.
The Hornets have been wiped out by injuries in their frontcourt, and that was clearly evident through Mobley. Mark Williams returned to the lineup earlier this week and scored 12 points on Saturday. But Miles Bridges (bone bruise), Moussa Diabaté (illness), Tidjane Salaün (ankle sprain) and Nick Richards (ankle sprain) all missed Saturday’s match. Grant Williams is out for the season with a torn ACL.
Charlotte was also without leading scorer LaMelo Ball, who is sidelined with a left calf injury. At 6-16, the Hornets have the second-worst record in the East.
Donovan Mitchell and Darius Garland each scored 18 for Cleveland. Mitchell also grabbed eight rebounds, while Jarrett Allen had 10 boards. Brandon Miller led Charlotte with 25 points.
The Celtics host the Memphis Grizzlies on Saturday night. Cleveland travels to the Miami Heat (10-10) on Sunday.
