Mario Hezonja ☆ Follow

Starts 0 of 2 games · 8th on CLE in minutes · Rotation role

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• Podcast Locked On Cavs · 2 points · 8 h ago
  • Mario Hezonja (reported): Relayed: after Saturday's game, Mario Hezonja was asked what matters most for keeping a large lead and said the offensive end of the floor. The host agrees. at 17:06
  • Danny Cunningham: Mario Hezonja has done good things near the basket. Sam Merrill and Jaylon Tyson have been willing to do dirty work. at 21:42

  “Three Things That Have Stood Out In the First Week for the Cleveland Cavaliers” · listen ↗

• Podcast Numbers on the Board host · Relayed report · 46 h ago around the league

  Mario Hezonja had a good Cavs debut; the hosts heard he added about 25 pounds.

  “20 Things We Have Learned So Far | Numbers On The Board” at 35:55 · listen ↗

• Podcast Hardwood Knocks host · Opinion · Oct 24 around the league

  Both hosts buy 'James Harden is washed'. They say Mario Hezonja outplayed him for most of the game against the Sixers, his turnovers are getting out of hand, and Tyrese Maxey's full-court pressure sped him up.

  “The 2026-27 NBA Overreactions Draft!” at 1:31:44 · listen ↗

• Podcast Locked On NBA host · Report · Oct 23 wording unclear in audio around the league

  A host said Mario Hezonja was awesome in the game and is glad he's back in the NBA.

  “The Cavaliers Need Help | James Dolan Is The WORST” at 7:46 · listen ↗

• Podcast The Athletic NBA Daily · 2 points · Oct 23
  • In the first half Cleveland's offense attacked Maxey and Edgecombe in mismatches: Donovan Mitchell posted up Maxey and Hezonja got post touches. at 8:23
  • Hezonja was really good defensively for Cleveland and looks much bigger. Hosts say he has been in Madrid for the last four years and was Spanish league MVP. at 12:32

  “The Thunder Are Inevitable + Philly Trusts the Process” · listen ↗

• Podcast Danny Cunningham, Locked On Cavs · Report · 34 h ago

  Mario Hezonja did some good things and hit a couple of threes, but had four turnovers.

  “Cleveland Cavaliers Earn First Win While Surviving Scare Against Brooklyn Nets” at 21:45 · listen ↗

• Podcast Locked On Cavs · 5 points · 37 h ago
  • Chaz praised the bench: Jaylon Tyson was great, Mario Hezonja was great, and she loved the energy Tyrese Proctor brought. at 2:46
  • Mario Hezonja (reported): Mario Hezonja said at his media availability that he had a conversation with Donovan Mitchell about how they can work together. at 16:38
  • Mario Hezonja hit a back-to-the-basket turnaround jumper and guarded Julius Randle pretty well. at 16:47
  • Chaz said Mario Hezonja cuts when the offense stagnates. He scored an easy layup on a backdoor cut, which she believed Peyton Watson assisted. She also said he brings defensive physicality against Julius Randle and can hit the three. at 17:07
  • Chaz said Mario Hezonja used to be lighter and was boxed in as just a three-point shooter. She said he has since gained weight and is older and more experienced. at 18:23

  “CAVS POSTCAST: Cleveland Cavaliers Blow Lead but SURVIVE as Donovan Mitchell, Jarrett Allen Deliver” · listen ↗

• Podcast Locked On NBA host · Analysis · Oct 23 around the league

  The host said the 76ers looked small in the first half. He described Kentavious Caldwell-Pope as almost a four at times, said Anfernee Simons and KCP come off the bench, and said Adem Bona is not a huge center. Mario Hezonja looked massive for the Cavs by comparison.

  “GAME NIGHT: How the Philadelphia 76ers Won Their Fans Over in a 29-Point Comeback” at 6:39 · listen ↗

• Podcast Locked On Cavs · 4 points · Oct 23
  • Late in the third quarter, with a mismatch, Mario Hezonja kept the ball instead of giving it to the stars. He posted up Edgecombe on the block and scored. at 19:45
  • Mario Hezonja played just under 19 minutes: 10 points on 5 of 13 shooting, 0 of 5 from three, 5 of 8 inside the arc, 3 rebounds. at 29:05
  • Host's opinion: Mario Hezonja gives the Cavs a bigger ball handler and willing passer who can exploit mismatches, and will be an important player. His first preseason game was rough and the latter two were better. The host is higher on some of the bench units. at 29:30
  • Defensive counting stats: two steals each for Watson, Mitchell and Mario Hezonja. One steal each for Merrill, Jaylon Tyson, Porter and Harden. Seven team blocks, two of them by Tyson. The Sixers had nine offensive rebounds. at 28:28

  “Cleveland Cavaliers Collapse On Opening Night in Philadelphia Against LeBron James and the Sixers” · listen ↗

• Podcast Locked On Cavs · 2 points · Oct 22
  • A host says Atkinson held onto his timeouts and took Mario Hezonja out while he was on a roll. at 6:28
  • A host calls Mario Hezonja a mismatch player who should post up smaller guards. The host says he called his own number and played good defense. at 7:06

  “CAVS POSTCAST: Kenny Atkinson BLAMED; Cleveland Cavaliers BLOW Massive Lead to LeBron James & 76ers” · listen ↗

• Podcast Danny Cunningham, Locked On Cavs · Analysis · Oct 21

  The host thinks Nae'Qwan Tomlin is the last wing on a standard contract. In his order the wings are Watson, Jaylon Tyson, Mario Hezonja, then Tomlin.

  “Injury Updates on Sam Merrill and Nae'Qwan Tomlin, the Expected Opening Night Rotation and Tom Thibodeau's Vis” at 15:58 · listen ↗

• Podcast Locked On Cavs · 8 points · Oct 15
  • Mike Lucas thinks Hezonja has a chance to be a big-time contributor and says Peyton Watson is obviously going to play. at 10:12
  • Kenny Atkinson (reported): Kenny Atkinson has at times called Hezonja a "diesel train". at 17:13
  • Danny Cunningham: Danny thought Hezonja had a rough first preseason game but looked pretty good against Orlando. at 17:20
  • Mario Hezonja; Kenny Atkinson; unnamed Cavs organization sources (reported): Hezonja says he is 6'9" and 260 pounds, and Atkinson gave 260 before Media Day. Unnamed people in the organization told Mike they don't know what the scale says but can't move him in the post. at 17:48
  • In the preseason, the Cavs ran a few sets (after timeouts and in the flow of the offense) that isolate Hezonja in the high post to back down a defender, with movement on the backside. By Mike's tracking, Hezonja made the right decision on 5 of 6 such plays. at 18:18
  • Mario Hezonja (reported): Hezonja said that playing through contact and reading the defense to score or pass out of double teams is a skill he lacked in his early NBA days and now has, at 31, after Real Madrid. at 18:28
  • Mike Lucas: if the Cavs get something from Hezonja, plus Jaylon Tyson's growth and whatever Watson brings, they have a legitimate wing rotation. at 19:16
  • Danny Cunningham: Against Orlando on Sunday, the trio of Hezonja, Jaylon Tyson and Sam Merrill played 13 minutes together and outscored Orlando 43-32. at 19:40

  “Evan Mobley's Pressure, Peyton Watson's Preseason and Mario Hezonja's fit with Mike Lucas” · listen ↗

• Podcast Locked On Cavs · 3 points · Oct 14
  • Host opinion: the loss isn't worth an alarm. He calls this a mostly veteran team that may not need much preseason, despite new pieces Mario Hezonja, Peyton Watson and Meleek Thomas. at 2:56
  • Mario Hezonja looked comfortable again: 12 points, 6 rebounds, a couple of assists and steals, no turnovers, 4 of 10 shooting. at 23:59
  • Host opinion: Mario Hezonja's comfort grew from the Boston game to the two Orlando games. The host had questioned where he fits in the rotation going into camp and calls the signs encouraging, though it still has to work in real games. at 25:21

  “Cleveland Cavaliers Drop Preseason Finale; Any Cause for Concern?” · listen ↗

• Podcast Locked On Cavs · 3 points · Oct 13
  • The host says Mario Hezonja was really impressive on Sunday night and not nearly as impressive the previous Thursday. at 3:02
  • Harden did not play in the first preseason game. Jaylon Tyson started in his place, Mario Hezonja and Merrill were the first two off the bench, and Meleek Thomas was the eighth to check in. at 5:35
  • After Sunday there was talk of Mario Hezonja as a point guard of sorts. The host thinks he can take some playmaking off Mitchell, who he believes is better off the ball, in a role he likens to Ty Jerome's impact in 2024-25. at 22:31

  “Why Meleek Thomas and Mario Hezonja Appear to Be Big Factors for the Cleveland Cavaliers” · listen ↗

• Podcast Locked On Cavs · 5 points · Oct 12
  • Hezonja had five rebounds, two of them offensive, the most of any bench player. The host gives his minutes here as 16. at 21:07
  • Mario Hezonja (reported): After the game, Hezonja said he is willing to do whatever helps the team, including playing point guard for a few minutes (the host paraphrases him as confident he can). The host adds that the Cavs want him at power forward and that he will play there a lot. at 20:24
  • The host calls it a small sample. at 25:15
  • The host says Hezonja's talent is clear. The open question is whether he and the Cavs can find the right fit and role. at 19:59
  • The host thinks Hezonja looked much more comfortable in the second preseason game than the first. He suggests Hezonja benefits from the structure of a game played for real, comparing it with the European game. at 21:17

  “James Harden and Mario Hezonja Shine in Cleveland Cavaliers Preseason Win Over Orlando Magic” · listen ↗

• X Jason Beede (@therealBeede) · Report · Oct 11

  Mario Hezonja was just guarding Paolo Banchero. We're running out of original sentences.

  original post ↗

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