Evan Mobley played his first game in more than a month on Monday night, helping his Cleveland Cavaliers beat the Los Angeles Clippers 118-108.
Mobley’s road to his return was long and he looked a little rusty but he put up 10 points and 9 rebounds during his 21 minutes on the floor.
Following that game, he revealed to Evan Dammarell that he had given advice to fellow returning star Darius Garland.
He apparently told Garland to be “ready for the ramp up toward being in actual in-game shape.”
Mobley said the cardio workouts that the two players did on a day-to-day basis to stay in shape during their absences were a “different beast” to what they deal with on the court.
#Cavs big man Evan Mobley shared with us that he told Darius Garland to be ready for the ramp up toward being in actual in game shape.
Mobley said the cardio they did on a day-to-day basis to stay in shape while out is a different beast to what they deal with on the court.
— Evan Dammarell (@AmNotEvan) January 31, 2024
Mobley left the rotation at the start of December, while Garland has been out since December 14.
The team has actually done incredibly well without both Mobley and Garland but they one them back on the floor, fully healthy and able to keep up with the rest of the squad.
For both the team and these players, there will be a bit of an adjustment period, as the rotation will have to welcome them in and both players will have to build up their strength and stamina so they can play.
Both players can be a huge help: Mobley is averaging 15.7 points and 10.4 rebounds while Garland is averaging 20.7 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 5.9 assists for the season.
The Cavaliers are currently the fourth seed in the East with a 28-16 record and next play the Detroit Pistons on Thursday.
It is expected that Garland will be with his team for that game.
NEXT: Analyst Downplays Potential Chemistry Issues For Cavs
