Cleveland Cavaliers head coach Kenny Atkinson came under fire on Thursday after he opted to put Craig Porter Jr. Into the starting lineup. Porter is a fantastic player, but starting three small guards together was a surprising move.
They played against the Minnesota Timberwolves, so his reasoning was to match up Porter against Anthony Edwards. The individual matchup worked out well, but it was more of an issue with the team's size when playing against a team filled with lengthy players. In the second game between the two teams, Sam Merrill got the start.
Mobley loves what he sees from Merrill
Since joining the Cavaliers in 2023, Merill has become a fixture of the regular rotation. He is arguably the team's best sharpshooter and is quite popular among his teammates. While he is not the tallest player, he is still taller than Porter, so starting him to match up against Edwards was more understandable.
As one of the members of the core group, Evan Mobley loves playing alongside Merrill. Considering Mobley has plenty of responsibilities as the star power forward, having a teammate who complements his skill set is a great feeling to have.
More: Cavaliers head coach Kenny Atkinson gets honest about the smaller starting lineup
The Cavaliers got a big 146-134 win against the Timberwolves on Saturday. It is one of the best results of the year for the Cavaliers, even though they would have preferred to hold the Timberwolves to a lower total. Four players had 20 or more points for the Cavaliers, including Merrill's 20 points.
"He’s just a dynamic player. His cutting, his shooting ability, the way people have to guard him and be aware of him at all times. He’s just a dynamic piece for us, and so with him playing the way he is playing, it adds a lot for us," Mobley said to Jackson Flickinger after the win against Minnesota.
"I feel like me and him have a great two-man game. He has a quick trigger, so guys are going to go to him with me rolling... I think me and him having that dynamic of randomness, it’s tough for defenders to guard."
Moving forward, this could be a starting lineup that Atkinson would love to use. If it were up to Atkinson, he would love to have Max Strus in that role, but he continues to recover from his long-term injury. Jaylon Tyson will also be competing for that starting spot.
Atkinson will remain dynamic with his starting group, as he believes the cour four players of Mobley, Darius Garland, Jarrett Allen, and Donovan Mitchell will continue to exhibit their chemistry.
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