Evan Mobley Scores 8 Points as Cavs Fall to Kira Lewis Jr., Pelicans in Summer League

Evan Mobley's third Las Vegas Summer League appearance may have been his most forgettable.

That's also a compliment. The big man's skill set is already refined enough that his eye-popping plays already look like normal possessions for him. 

Mobley's eight points in an 87-74 loss to the New Orleans Pelicans on Friday was his fewest of his exhibitions so far and still showcased the footwork and strength that helped convince the Cavs to draft him No. 3 overall earlier this summer. 

The USC product displayed notable patience and poise in the paint, pump-faking around defenders and creating space for easy looks at the rim where none existed otherwise. His agility also helped him grab 11 rebounds to go with his three assists, one steal and one block. 

In 28 minutes, the center went 4-of-11 from the field, including 0-of-3 from behind the arc. He'd previously scored 14 points against the Orlando Magic and 12 against the Houston Rockets in Summer League play. Each of those outings also saw the rookie take a high volume of shots.

It's clear Cleveland wants Mobley to stay aggressive on offense as he transitions to the NBA; it just wasn't enough to overcome a New Orleans squad led by second-year guard Kira Lewis Jr. 

The Alabama alum dropped a game-high 22 points, while fellow sophomore Naji Marshall added a few highlight-reel moments himself. 

Marshall finished with 16 points, 11 rebounds, five assists and three steals as the Pelicans improved to 3-0 in Vegas.

Cleveland will be back in action on Saturday against the New York Knicks on ESPN2 at 8 p.m. ET. New Orleans returns to the floor on at 9 p.m. ET on Sunday against the Golden State Warriors also on ESPN2.