His return Ricky Rubio in the fields in early January was already a triumph in itself. After a devastating injury to his left knee, the Catalan point guard worked to recover physically and mentally in order to fulfill his dream of continuing to play in nba. The chosen place was cleveland cavaliers, a place where he was reunited with his best self, but which in this campaign he had failed to make a positive impact, at least so far.
In the weeks after his return it became clear that Mr The role of Ricky on these Cavs it was going to be rather limited. On the one hand, this responded to the reasonable caution applied in such cases, on the other hand he needed to recover his rhythm and match form after so many absences. But native Masnou feels better and better, stronger and, above all, more confident.
In Rubio’s last two games he has played at a more than optimal level 8 points and 8 assists against the Heat and with 11 field goals at 57.1% in less than 20 minutes against the Hornets.
The Cavs are among the teams with the fewest games left to close Normal phase (12), with the distinction of having the second most affordable schedule in the entire league. Last season Cleveland fell apart on the same stretch of the stretch due to injuries to their key men, something they can’t afford in 2023. More so when you consider the investment made during out of season.
This is where the figure of Ricky gains weight, who in this short run can help them reach the Playoffs in the best possible form.
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Defense, the big pillar
The point guard collects +5.9 net score in less than 400 minutes played, making him a starter for Cleveland since his return. His impact on defense has been especially brilliant, where he ranks as the best on the entire team, lowering his defensive ratio to 101.7.
According to Cleaning the Glass, a tool that removes minutes from the trash, that record puts him in the 92nd percentile overall in the NBA.
Ricky Rubio’s seniority is a plus with great value on a team like the Cavaliers. What the Catalan brings is not so much about his ability or physicality, but because of his knowledge of the league, especially against opposing second units.
An example of this is that Spanish is one of the most bypassed (diversions) is averaging 4.2 per 36 minutes since his return, to which he adds a projected 2.1 steals per 36 minutes of play.
His activity with his hands and feet can boost the team in this crucial phase of the campaign:
Her relationship with Evan Mobley
The big “spoiled” by the arrival of Donovan Mitchell has been Evan Mobley. It was difficult for the young insider to find his place in the team at the attacking level. Without the ability to consistently create his own shot, Mobley dropped his scoring averages slightly. At least until Ricky comes along.
The mix of the two has pushed the former USC standout into the best possible version of him. In the 221 minutes they have shared theirs net score He was +15.2 with an offensive ratio of 114.5. Figures tied for the fourth-best pair overall on the team.
How have they managed to perform so well? Based on two two actions. Through the direct block Ricky has nurtured Mobley and vice versa. Without going any further, in the short time that the Catalan has been active this season they are already one of the couples who perform the most sequences of this type. In the 3.6 drives the Cavs average per night they add 1.16 points per possession, efficient numbers.
Both understand each other very well both hand in hand and behind a conventional screen:
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