Although not as noticeable, Evan Mobley came up big in Cavs' Game 4 win

It was easy to overlook Evan Mobley's performance Monday when his teammate was scoring points at will in the second half of Game 4. Guard Donovan Mitchell tied an NBA playoff record with 39 of his 43 points in the second half of the Cavaliers' 112-103 victory over the defensive-minded Detroit Pistons. The teams are tied 2-2 heading into Game 5 tonight in Detroit. Mobley, though, had a big hand in the win, only in a different manner. He contributed 17 points, eight rebounds, five assists, five blocks and three steals in 39 minutes. The 7-foot, 230-pounder became the first Cavs player to record at least five blocks and three steals in a playoff game. It was Mobley's third career playoff game with at least five rejections, which tied Larry Nance Sr.'s franchise record. Cleveland coach Kenny Atkinson went so far as to say it might have been Mobley's best defensive game in the two seasons he's coached the team. "Evan Mobley was blocking everything and getting steals," he said. "That was the Defensive Player of the Year. He was great in the paint. "He was everywhere. He was clogging the lane. He was doing it with discipline and staying down on shot fakes." Atkinson mocked a question he was asked before Game 4 about how the team could get Mobley going. "We know in our locker room how great he's playing," he said. "He plays winning basketball. He affects winning on both ends." The University of Southern California product became the ninth player in NBA postseason history to record at least 15 points, five assists, five blocks and three steals. He joined a prestigious list of players who have done it before him, including Hakeem Olajuwon, Draymond Green, Julius Erving, Michael Jordan, David Robinson, Chris Webber, Tim Duncan and Kevin Durant. "I was just controlling the paint," Mobley said. "I was being active and long and getting as many steals as I could. Honestly, I was trying to do whatever the team needed — rebounding, steals, blocks, running and setting screens. "I feel like I'm an impactful player on the court in a lot of different aspects. Whatever the team needed me to do, I tried to get that done. It was a lot of playmaking, getting in the pocket and making the right reads. Guys were knocking down shots. Defensively, I was protecting the paint as much as possible. I was using my length to get deflections." Mitchell said Mobley does so much for the Cavs. "His presence alone deters shots," he said. "You don't have a stat for that. You have him, Wemby (Victor Wembanyama) and Rudy Gobert. With them being there, you force a floater or a step-back. He was a catalyst offensively and defensively. "He was everywhere. We feed off him. He's getting progressively better each game. He's doing it in every facet of the game. He was huge." Cleveland has yet to win on the road in the 2026 playoffs (0-3 vs. Toronto, 0-2 vs. Detroit). If they are going to win this series, they will have to win a game at Little Caesars Arena. "We have to go on the road and steal one," Mobley said. "We have to lock in. The momentum changes a little bit now. We have to take care of business." The Cavs have won 10 playoff series after being tied 2-2 in a series. Cleveland has won three playoff series when trailing 0-2, including against the Pistons in 2007 in the Eastern Conference finals. "We're going into a hostile environment," Mitchell said. "We have to rely on each other. We're ready for the challenge." Contact Bob Finnan at (440) 329-7135 or rfinnan30@gmail.com. Follow him @BobCavsinsider on X.