Three-point shooting was the highlight for the Cleveland Cavaliers on Friday night against the Golden State Warriors, having started the game 13-of-17 from beyond the arc on their way to a 41-point half-time lead.
But as much as the three-point shooting may have rightfully grabbed the headlines, Cleveland's dominance on the interior was just as notable in the 136-117 victory. The front-court duo of Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen is one of the best in the league, and is one of the key reasons behind an unbeaten 10-0 start to the season.
The Warriors are still vulnerable against legit seven-footers
Mobley and Allen inserted their will from early in the game, with the former scoring six of Cleveland's first 15 points as part of a 20-2 opening run. Mobley eventually ended with 23 points, four rebounds four assists and two blocks in just 26 minutes, which included getting to the free-throw line on 10 occasions where he made nine.
Allen added a double-double with 13 points, 12 rebounds, three assists and a block in 30 minutes of playing time, going 5-of-7 from the floor. Together Allen and Mobley controlled the interior and outplayed Golden State's front line, with Draymond Green, Trayce Jackson-Davis and Kevon Looney combining for 18 points -- half of what the Cleveland duo produced.
Given the way the Warriors play in terms of prioritizing shooting from the perimeter, they're scarcely going to get massive scoring numbers from that trio. The bigger issue is that Mobley was so dominant for the Cavaliers offensively, contributing to a growing trend of Golden State struggling against talented bigs around the league.
The only other loss of the season came in their home opener where L.A Clippers center Ivica Zubac went for a massive 23 points, 18 rebounds and six assists. At the start of the week veteran big man Jonas Valancuinas went for 16 points, 12 rebounds and seven assists in just 21 minutes, that despite the Warriors winning 125-112 against the Washington Wizards.
The trio of Green, Jackson-Davis and Looney have all been pivotal to Golden State ranking second in defensive rating so far, yet the fact remains that they're undersized and vulnerable against genuine seven-footers who have more offensive skill than just finishing point-blank shots at the rim.
The Warriors only have one seven-footer themselves on the roster in the form of two-way contracted rookie Quinten Post. The 24-year-old impressed in his G League debut with 25 points and 15 rebounds against the Valley Suns, but otherwise looked a significant way from being a viable rotation player during the preseason.
Combine the lack of size with the spacing issues that a Green/Jackson-Davis front-court brings, and that four-five combination still isn't ideal from a Golden State perspective. It's something the Warriors may need to address before the February 6 trade deadline, particularly if they continue to have issues stopping some of the talented big men around the league.