The Cleveland Cavaliers face yet another 0-2 deficit this postseason. Although the team has proven that it can bounce back from these situations, they might struggle against the NY Knicks, as NBA legend Charles Barkley highlighted a glaring mistake in their offensive strategy that surprisingly excluded Evan Mobley. Chuck considered it the ultimate reason behind the Game 2 109-93 loss at the MSG.

Evan Mobley had a flashy start to the night, scoring 10 points in the first quarter. He knocked down two three-pointers in the process and headed to the rim for protection duties, enabling a 3-point lead in the first half. Mobley ended the first half with a 5-8 FG, scoring 14 points against the Knicks physical defense. Notably, it kept the game under control with only a four-point deficit at the half.

However, what transpired after that left Charles Barkley deeply frustrated. Speaking at the post-game analysis with the Inside Guys, he exclaimed, “How the hell do you score 14 points in the first half and don’t get a shot in the second half?” He further doubled down, attacking the modern NBA, saying, “He’s (Mobley) out there housing people, and y’all want to shoot long a** jump shots. But that’s NBA today. No strategy.”

Interestingly, the Cavs viewed their loss through an entirely different lens. Speaking at the postgame presser, Coach Kenny Atkinson blamed it on the shooting. “I thought our process was right,” Atkinson said. “At the end of the day, you got to put the ball in the hole. Today we didn’t.” 

Moreover, James Harden and Donovan Mitchell, the superstars responsible for the Thursday night shooting, shared a similar sentiment. Especially, Harden said, “It’s difficult when you’re not making shots. It puts twice as much pressure on you defensively to get stops.”

On the other hand, Josh Hart, who had a poor Game 1, took this opportunity to produce a playoff career-high of 26 points. Jalen Brunson backed that effort, recording a playoff career-high 12 assists, to put them two games away from the Knicks’ first Finals since 1999. 

Charles Barkley charts plan for Cavaliers’ comeback

One of the biggest strengths of the Cavs has been their fans. Especially, in the semi-final series against the Pistons, the Cavs returned home trailing 0-2. From there, the team strung together a three-win streak. 

As the series shifts to home court, Charles Barkley suggested a slight tweak in their offensive strategy. He felt that the team missed out on their major advantage. “The only way the Cavs can win this series is they dominate inside,” Chuck said. “James and Mitchell don’t have an advantage. Those two guys (Mobley and Jarrett Allen) have an advantage.”

This isn’t the first time the Cavaliers have abandoned their interior offense. During their disastrous 2023 playoff exit against these same Knicks, Cleveland’s guards dominated the ball while Mobley and Allen were completely neutralized offensively. But this year is supposed to be different.

Mobley has been lethal for the Cavs this season. Carrying his 2025 DPOY exploits into this season, he has awakened on the offensive end as well. Against the Raptors, he averaged 18.1 ppg and 8.6 rpg, and against the Pistons, he dropped 15.9 ppg and 7.4 rpg. If they adjust to give more shots to Mobley, he could be the difference maker.

However, Game 2 Game 2 exposed a massive flaw. Even though Evan Mobley was on the floor, Cleveland’s offense completely froze him out. He didn’t get a single shot attempt in the second half. Because the Cavs stopped throwing the ball inside, New York’s defenders just crowded the paint. That forced Harden and Mitchell into tough looks. The Knicks easily took advantage, outscoring the Cavs 56-44 after halftime.

Heading into Game 3, the Cavs have a lot of adjustments to make, but the team hasn’t lost morale. Speaking after the game, Donovan Mitchell said, “Nothing to hang our heads about. They protected home court, and we’ve seen this before, so we’re going to go to Game 3.”

Can the Cavs protect their home and bounce back, tying the series?