Evan Mobley and Darius Garland prove they can deliver in the clutch

Mobley and Garland showed maturity against OKC.

The Cleveland Cavaliers just snapped Oklahoma City’s 15-game win streak. They did so behind an immense scoring night from everyone not named Donovan Mitchell. That’s right, the Cavs hung 129 points on the best defense in basketball with their leading scorer only scrounging up 11 points. Plenty of different Cavaliers stepped up — but Darius Garland and Evan Mobley are the ones who claimed the final possessions of the game.

With a three-point lead and under two minutes to play, the Cavaliers inbounded the ball on perhaps the most important possession of the game. Typically, this ball would go directly to Mitchell — with all other Cavaliers being last-resort options. But Kenny Atkinson placed his faith in someone new, calling a play for Mobley to decide the outcome.

Mobley uses a down-screen and catches the ball at the top of the key with eight seconds on the shot clock and a fully spaced-out floor to work with. Mobley is being asked to create an advantage in isolation against Isaiah Hartenstein. He responds by attacking off the dribble, brushing off Hartenstein’s first attempt at walling him off and eventually burrowing his way deep into the paint for a floater.

Mobley has seen an increased role within Cleveland’s offense but seeing him dictate the terms of a possession of this magnitude is different. Even the brightest lights could not deter him from being assertive. This play is a testament to the growth of Mobley and the trust this team has placed in his development.

Later, the Cavaliers now hold a more secure lead but are looking for one final punch to knock out the Thunder.

This time it’s Garland on the controls — who sheds heavy ball pressure at half-court, then regains his composure before slamming the gas again to get into the paint and deliver the final blow.

Garland was aggressive in getting to the rim in the second half. His consecutive and-ones led the way for a Cavalier run during the third quarter. He showed no fear of the moment — confidently taking the keys when it became clear Mitchell wasn’t capable of driving this one home. Garland has converted over 65% of his attempts in the clutch this season, an absurd number for a player who previously struggled to close games.

The growth on display from Garland and Mobley can’t be overstated. Both likely would have deferred to Mitchell in the past, no matter the circumstance. But the young core is steadily growing up — and part of that maturity comes with delivering in key moments even when their big brother isn’t there to bail them out.

They flipped the script tonight and carried Mitchell to a victory despite his struggles. Considering the opponent they just defeated, this is significant proof that the Cavaliers are as legit as any other contender.