Staying perfect is hard. The Cleveland Cavaliers nearly learned this lesson after a disastrous third quarter against the Brooklyn Nets. But a resilient close to the game keeps their record spotless.
The grades are based on what our expectations are for each of them.
Donovan Mitchell
22 points (5-12 shooting), 1 rebound, 1 assist, 1 steal
Mitchell scored 15 points in the opening quarter tonight before taking a backseat to his teammates for most of the game. His opening burst of scoring put the Cavs in the driver’s seat — but it was his willingness to play without the ball and screen for others that allowed Cleveland to win their 11th straight game. — Tony Pest
Grade: B+
Evan Mobley
23 points (10-11 shooting), 16 rebounds, 1 assist, 4 steals, 1 block
It didn’t take long for Mobley to make his presence felt in this game. He found Garland for a nice cut to the basket early in the first and then canned a triple from the top of the arc. This was a precursor of what was to come. Mobley was assertive on both ends of the court and was their best player on a night they had little else going.
His aggressive play allowed the Cavs to close with a small-ball unit that shouldn’t have worked. Mobley’s emphatic block on the last defensive possession perfectly encapsulates the night.
Kenny Atkinson has been letting Mobley spread his wings. He’s empowered him to continue to test out all aspects of his game and it continues to pay dividends. Mobley is still a work in progress, but he’s far and away a different player than he was at this point last season. — Jackson Flickinger
Grade: A+
Darius Garland
20 points (8-11 shooting), 6 assists, 2 steals
Garland has matured. That much was clear in the fourth quarter tonight. Garland displayed a poise and composure down the stretch that wasn’t always noticeable in years past. He was the closer, burying Brooklyn in the closing minutes behind a myriad of buckets and assists. This is the best start to a season Garland has ever had — and he’s not the exception for this red-hot Cavalier team. — TP
Grade: A+
Jarrett Allen
4 points (1-6 shooting), 3 rebounds, 1 steal, 1 block
This was an uncharacteristically bad game for Allen. He struggled to find any rhythm early on. He tried to break out of it by being overly aggressive at the close of the third quarter, but he didn’t help his team get back on track.
This resulted in him being benched the entire fourth quarter as Atkinson opted to go with a small-ball unit down the stretch. — JF
Grade: F
Isaac Okoro
3 points (1-5 shooting), 1 rebound, 1 assist
Stringing together impactful offensive games has been a problem for Okoro throughout his career. He wasn’t able to repeat any version of the 16-point outing he had against the Warriors the previous night.
Okoro was still impactful defensively against Brooklyn’s rangy wins, but you can’t help but be disappointed after the offensive showing the previous evening. — JF
Grade: D-
Caris LeVert
12 points (6-11 shooting), 6 assists, 2 rebounds, 1 steal, 2 blocks
LeVert’s transformation is one of the most unexpected subplots of this season. His constant energy away from the play on offense and defense has made him a completely different player from the one we saw the last few seasons in Cleveland. This even allowed him to close the game at the four in their small-ball lineup.
LeVert didn’t have impressive numbers tonight, but he remains incredibly impactful on this team. — JF
Grade: A
Sam Merrill
6 points (2-4 shooting), 2 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal
There was nothing special one way or another tonight for Merrill. He canned two three-pointers and provided his usual spacing to the offense. It wasn’t his best defensive game, even if he held his own a few times when the Nets attempted to bully him. I’m feeling a pretty standard grade for this one. — TP
Grade: B-
Dean Wade
3 points (1-4 shooting), 4 rebounds, 1 assist
Wade has had a tough time finding his rhythm coming off of the bench in his first two games since returning from his illness. He seemed out of the offensive flow and wasn’t able to make an impact on that end.
The Cavs’ defense is so devastating with either Wade or Okoro on the floor. For that to happen, they need to be impactful offensively as well. Neither was this evening. — JF
Grade: D-
Georges Niang
8 points (4-6 shooting), 2 rebounds, 1 assist
Niang did his best Jarrett Allen impression for a stretch, hanging around the rim and converting numerous dump-off passes in a lineup where Cleveland went small with no big on the floor. He was a positive for most of the night even if he had to be pulled off the floor at the end to make way for Mobley. — TP
Grade: B+
You Jerome
4 points (2-4 shooting), 5 assists, 2 steals
This wasn’t the most flashy game from Jerome in terms of box score stuffing. But he shifted the dynamic of this match behind his energy in the fourth quarter. Jerome was a defensive hound, inspiring Cleveland’s crowd with hustle plays. He pulled them out of an offensive rut with his playmaking and scored all four of his points in the closing minutes.
In other words, Jerome continues to dominate the ‘ber months. — TP
Grade: A+
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