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Evan Mobley · Perfectly equipped to handle the challenge of raising his production against the NBA’s only team to rank inside the top five both offensively and defensively, Evan Mobley used the postseason stage to show the Boston Celtics that he, too, knows a thing or two about two-way excellence. With his All-Defensive Team credentials certain to be tested after a pick-and-roll switch pits him against Jaylen Brown, the Cleveland Cavaliers star settles into his stance, remaining closely-tethered enough to Brown’s swift dribble to force a contested shot at the rim. Toggling from rim-protector mode to floor general in a moment’s notice, Mobley orchestrates the fastbreak, forcing Boston’s transition defense into a scramble before flipping a pass back to his teammate. Free to sprint down the left side of the floor completely unimpeded, Mobley punctuates the sequence, stuffing a precisely-thrown lob pass down for an alley-oop finish. If it could be done on a basketball court, Mobley showed the way on May 9, 2024, contributing 21 points, 10 rebounds, five assists, one steal, two blocks, one 3-pointer, and a +35 plus-minus — along with 15 contested shots and five deflections — in just 33 minutes, prompting a victory in Game Two. · State of Mint