It is a commonly held theory that the most difficult task for NBA rookies to handle is on the defensive end.
The opponents they face each night are bigger, quicker, smarter, more savvy than any they were used to seeing. They are grown men with experience to draw on and that makes life difficult for first-year NBAers.
It’s why watching Toronto’s Scottie Barnes and Cleveland’s Evan Mobley handle their assignments when the Raptors dropped a 102-101 decision to the Cavaliers at the Scotiabank Arena on Friday was in some ways unusual.
Barnes and Mobley are two of the best rookies in a deep first-year class this season, and one of the main reasons they stand out from the others is because of the way they’ve taken to defence.