Evan

Mobley

Mobley returned from a one-game absence and turned in a 9/6/4 line on 3-of-10 shooting against the Pistons. He bounced back in a big way on Sunday, hitting 8-of-16 shots, including 3-of-6 from beyond the arc, and delivering some quality peripheral contributions. He and the Cavs get a brief respite before returning to the court for Wednesday’s primetime showdown with the Knicks.

While Cleveland’s “core four” is available and will start Friday’s game, Max Strus is not. Isaac Okoro, who is most valuable as a defender, will replace him in the lineup. Okoro offers limited production on the offensive end of the floor, especially with Garland and Mitchell available. Mobley’s return pushes Dean Wade to the bench.

Mobley sat out against San Antonio on Thursday but will be back in the lineup to face Detroit. His return should push Dean Wade back to the bench after and unproductive start. De’Andre Hunter may also lose out on a few minutes.

The Cavaliers are in firm control of the top spot in the East and have taken opportunities to rest members of their “core four” occasionally. Mobley will sit out Thursday’s game, and his absence coincides with Donovan Mitchell’s return after not playing on Tuesday. De’Andre Hunter, Sam Merrill, Isaac Okoro and Dean Wade are four options to fill the void left by Mobley, with Hunter offering the highest upside. As for Tyson, his continued absence does not impact the Cavaliers’ rotation.

Mobley matched his season-high in blocks on Tuesday, and he’s recorded multiple rejections in three straight games for the first time since mid-February. Over the past two weeks, the Cavaliers’ big man has been a top-30 player in nine-cat formats. While Jarrett Allen (14 points, nine rebounds, two assists and one block in 27 minutes) continues to provide reliable fantasy value, Mobley has emerged as the team’s top frontcourt option this season. And that won’t change anytime soon.

Mobley’s excellent season continued Friday despite the Cavaliers hitting a bit of a speed bump having now lost four games in a row. The 23-year-old center was still able to have a double-double, though he was hardly efficient on offensive with 16 points on 14 shots. He was a factor on the defensive end with a steal and two blocks. The main concern for fantasy managers will be if the Cavaliers elect to rest Mobley at all during the fantasy playoffs.

Mobley dropped an excellent stat line on Wednesday, recording his third double-double with at least 30 points this season. He has scored 20 or more six times since the All-Star break, an expected output given the ability of Cleveland’s top four offensive options. The lone concern for fantasy managers as the playoffs approach their conclusion is Mobley’s availability, as the Cavaliers have given their stars an occasional night off to prepare for the postseason.

Mobley was back on the court after a one-game absence. While he shot the ball well from the field, the overall stat line was a bit meager compared to what Mobley has done throughout the season. His return pushed De’Andre Hunter to the bench, but the lineup change did not negatively impact the versatile wing. In 20 minutes, Hunter tallied 17 points, one rebound and three three-pointers. With Cleveland visiting the Kings on Wednesday, fantasy managers must watch for the initial injury report. Given the team’s lead atop the East, some players may be given a “load management” night.

Mobley is back after a one-game absence and will reclaim his place in the starting lineup. De’Andre Hunter will return to the bench, which lowers his fantasy ceiling. Completing the starting five are Darius Garland, Donovan Mitchell, Max Strus and Jarrett Allen.

Mobley is questionable after sitting out Sunday’s loss to the Magic. If he has to miss a second-straight game, De’Andre Hunter will again replace him in the starting lineup. Hunter has a higher fantasy ceiling when allowed to start, so he should be streamed in standard leagues.