Appears in SLAM Presents All-Star Vol. 2: The Land. Published on February 20, 2022 at slamonline.com
One of, if not the most important connection that resides on the court lies between the point guard and his big man down low. Being able to effectively read one another’s movements, eyes, even predicting each other’s decisions before they’re made, all heavily contribute to the depth of a team’s offensive repertoire. In Cleveland, the offensive depth between the trio of Darius Garland, Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen is otherworldly.
“I mean, they do it all for me,” Garland tells SLAM of Mobley and Allen over Zoom. “They’re setting all the screens and stuff, so [I’m] just trying to keep the connection with them going and with my teammates as well.”
The chemistry the three have built is unlike any other guard/big pairing in the League. A little under eight times per game, the 6-1 Garland will snake around a neck-jerking screen set by either the 243-pound, 7-6 wingspaned Allen, who has had beef with the rim all season, or by the mobile 6-11 newcomer Mobley, who will snatch the ball out of the air and slam it down on your head with ease. Or, you could drop down and take away both options, and leave a 37.7 percent three-point shooter open at the top of the key, waiting for the ball to drop through the net.
It’s a pick your poison situation in Cleveland, and one of the youngest cores in the NBA is beginning to realize just how lethal of a connection they’re building. (READ THE FULL STORY HERE.)