Garland propels the Cavaliers to clinch the number one seed in the East
The Cleveland Cavaliers have done it. With a 135-113 win over the Chicago Bulls, the Cavaliers have clinched the number one seed in the Eastern Conference. Now, they can exhale and take it easy for the remaining three games of the season.
Grades are based on our expectations of each player.
Darius Garland
28 points (10-17 shooting), 5 assists, 3 rebounds, 1 steal
Folks, the real Darius Garland has stood up. In the absence of Donovan Mitchell, Garland put the Cavaliers put the team on his back and gave a vintage performance. Garland was totally in his element, probing and drawing out defenders only to put them in the blender.
Garland had total command of the offense and the overall game for long stretches. Now, despite playing less than 30 minutes, Garland still scored at an insane clip while remaining efficient. This is a performance that makes you excited to see how he will deliver on the playoff stage.
Grade: A+
Ty Jerome
18 points (7-11 shooting), 5 assists,
Ty Jerome has an efficiency that historians will talk about for years to come. Jerome led the team in plus/minus with a +23. It’s honestly wild to sit back and think about how Jerome has gone from fringe bench player to focal point of the Cavaliers’ second unit.
Jerome rarely leaves you wanting more on a night-to-night basis. That’s what teams would throw a bunch of money to have and to stumble into Jerome is the Cavaliers’ biggest boon.
Grade: A+
Evan Mobley
21 points (8-18 shooting, 3-6 from three), 11 rebounds, 7 assists, 2 steals, 1 block
Tonight was a great example of how far Mobley has come. Watching the game, you wouldn’t list Mobley’s performance as one of the outstanding performances of the night. In past seasons, this would have been causing us all to have sweet dreams all night of Mobley’s Hall of Fame speech.
Mobley didn’t shoot ultra efficient like his guards; however, to see Mobley generate this many attempts is immense growth. Shooting 3-6 from the perimeter is also something we need to remind ourselves, while commonplace for us now, would have fans celebrating in the streets.
Grade: A+
Jarrett Allen
12 points (7-9 shooting), 9 rebounds, 3 assists
Allen always feels like he checks the boxes and turns in a good night. His quality games always feel like they are buried by the statistical performances of his co-stars. While not one of his best games, Allen did all that he should have done tonight. No notes. Great job, pal.
Grade: B
Isaac Okoro
2 points (1-5 shooting), 5 rebounds
Okoro turned in an invisible man performance tonight. The Bulls didn’t provide the Cavaliers with an ample amount of reasons to throw Okoro at them. That, combined with a cold shooting night from Okoro, is a recipe for disaster. It will be interesting, given the recent sample size, how the Cavaliers will utilize Okoro in the postseason.
Grade: D
De’Andre Hunter
17 points (7-15 shooting), 2 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 steals
The bench tonight was led by De’Andre Hunter and his best friend. While not as insane as his best buddy, Hunter was able to generate quality looks of his own. Hunter was also a huge factor in some of the Cavaliers’ bigger runs in this game with his steals to provide transition three pointers. It’s hard to refute that when those two share the floor, good things happen.
Grade: A-
Sam Merrill
9 points (3-5 shooting), 2 rebounds, 3 assists
Merrill gave a decent outing for the Wine and Gold. It felt like he did a little bit of everything when asked. It didn’t feel like Merrill was given a lot of touches, but was making the most of the looks. That’s what good role players do.
Grade: B-
Max Strus
9 points (4-6 shooting), 4 assists, 5 rebounds,
Strus was another one who felt like his number wasn’t really called in this game. Strus is someone who doesn’t cause worry when the shot isn’t falling. Max has always shown how he is still a high impact player even when not shooting the leather off the ball.