The Cleveland Cavaliers were dealt terrible news weeks ago with the injuries of Darius Garland and Evan Mobley. At the time, many were worried about how competitive Cleveland would be without two of their better players. However, since the injuries, the Cavaliers have been better than expected thanks to some players stepping up.
Who Has Stepped Up For The Cleveland Cavaliers Recently?
In the absence of Garland and Mobley, some wondered if Donovan Mitchell would be able to carry the team. It seemed to be just Mitchell and Jarrett Allen to carry them in the meantime, but that has been proven wrong. Let’s look at some of the players who have stepped up for Cleveland in the past couple of weeks.
Jarrett Allen
While Mitchell has stepped up his game, he has played just three of seven games due to an illness. His contributions are clear, so we can talk about the center that has been great for the team. Jarrett Allen played solid basketball before the injuries, but right now, he’s playing his best basketball of the season.
Over the past seven games, Allen is averaging 19.9 points and 12.4 rebounds per game for the Cavaliers. He’s also averaging 4.0 assists and 1.1 steals per game while shooting 70.6% from the field. With Mobley out of the fold, Allen has been the big man that everyone knows he can be.
Issac Okoro
Issac Okoro played solid as a 3-and-D wing for the Cavaliers prior to the injuries. Since then, he has stepped his game a substantial amount from what he was doing previously. After the injuries, Okoro is averaging 13.1 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 3.6 assists per game. Not only that, but he is also shooting 53,3% from the field and 40.7% from three-point land. The last seven games have shown what Okoro is capable of if he has to step up for Cleveland again.
Craig Porter Jr.
Craig Porter Jr. has already made news for himself by being a contributor for Cleveland this season despite going his draft status. Porter was an undrafted free-agent out of Wichita State, but has played well for the Cavaliers since the beginning. A huge test for him was going to be how he was going to play when the team needed him the most.
With the injury to Garland, someone had to take his place as the primary ball-handler and facilitator of the offense. Porter has done that and more in an effort to help Mitchell with the ball-handling duties. Over the past seven games, Porter is averaging 9.1 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 5.6 assists per game. He’s also shooting a solid 44.3% from the field and 33.3% from behind the three-point line.
The Last Word
Going into Monday’s game, Cleveland is 5-2 over its past seven. Thanks to the improved play of the aforementioned players, the Cavaliers have been able to stay afloat. It will be some time before Cleveland is fully healthy, but when it is, the NBA should take notice. It’s clear that the Cavaliers have a deep roster and that plenty of guys can step up for them when needed.
