Player Grades: Cavs vs Grizzlies

Mobley was awesome against JJJ.

The Cleveland Cavaliers overcame a poor shooting night to beat the Memphis Grizzlies 129-123. It was a rock fight, at times, but this gritty win is a remnant of who the Cavs used to be.

Grades are based on our usual expectations for each player.

Ty Jerome

26 points (9-16 shooting), 5 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals, 23 minutes

A game without Darius Garland meant Jerome would have to step up. In the first quarter, it felt like this wasn’t going to happen. Jerome was sent to the bench after picking up three fouls in the opening minutes. But once he returned, Jerome provided the instant offense he’s brought all season.

Calling Jerome a flamethrower is the understatement of the year. His 26 points in 23 minutes have become business as usual. 15 points in the fourth quarter to close the game are just the types of things that Jerome does.

Jerome pulled a three-pointer from 30 feet during his fourth-quarter flurry. That has also become commonplace for him. He’s shooting the 3rd best three-point percentage of anyone over the last 12 seasons from 25+ feet.

Grade: A+

Donovan Mitchell

33 points (11-23 shooting), 6 assists, 2 rebounds, 35 minutes

Mitchell didn’t have any issue carrying a heavier load in Garland’s absence, either. This was only the 10th time Mitchell has played more than 35 minutes in a game this season — but Cleveland needed every one of them.

Kenny Atkinson’s commitment to keeping his stars fresh has paid off in these moments. Mitchell didn’t look overburdened by the fourth quarter. This was key — as Mitchell got to the rim and drew a foul at a key junction of the game. Having enough gas to attack the basket rather than settle for a three-pointer is a contrast from last season.

Mitchell’s scoring kept the Cavs on top throughout an otherwise rough offensive game. He began 3-6 from deep while his teammates shot 0-14. But carrying them through the slower portions was much easier than in years prior.

Grade: A+

De’Andre Hunter

12 points (4-10 shooting), 8 rebounds, 2 assists, 25 minutes

Hunter didn’t pour it on from deep tonight (0-4 shooting) but he connected on a handful of methodical floaters that showcased his versatility. He uses his body well, nestling into the lane and using his length to rise over the defense. Hunter’s patience on his drives led to a number of easy-scoring opportunities.

More importantly, he nabbed 8 rebounds. He’s only done that two other times this season — as he’s never been great at cleaning the glass. But Cleveland will need Hunter to become more active in this department. This was a step in the right direction.

Grade: A-

Evan Mobley

25 points (10-20 shooting), 13 rebounds, 8 assists, 3 blocks

Jerome and Mitchell may have buried the lead because there’s a case to be made that Mobley was the best player on the floor tonight. In fact, he’s arguably been the best player on the team this month.

Mobley continues to shine in every context. His matchup against the (current) frontrunner for Defensive Player of the Year, Jaren Jackson Jr., looked personal to Mobley. He took it straight at Jackson — bruising him on the glass and crossing him on his way to the rim.

Elevating Mobley’s confidence has always been key. The question now is how high can he climb? Right now, Mobley looks like he can tackle anyone.

Grade: A+

Max Strus

11 points (3-8 shooting), 8 rebounds, 3 rebounds, 1 block

Strus isn’t the steady marksman that Cleveland thought they were getting in 2023. He’s proven to be perpetually erratic from three. And yet, that hasn’t stopped him from being one of the most consistently helpful players on the team.

This game began ice-cold for Strus. But a bomb at the end of the first half helped him carry momentum to the second, where he’d nail two more three-pointers. He had 8 assists last game — tonight, he had 8 rebounds. Strus always finds a way to be impactful and it’s why he remains in the starting lineup for Atkinson (even if Hunter is the better fit).

Grade: B+

Jarrett Allen

13 points (6-8 shooting), 10 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal

Something has clicked in Allen. He’s been more assertive and active than I think we’ve ever seen. His three offensive rebounds kept the Cavs afloat during the first half and his ferocious dunk on Ja Morant saved the day at a crucial moment of the game.

Allen has been a monster on both ends of the floor this month. He is always going to be outshined by his star teammates but don’t neglect the production Allen has been giving all season.

Grade: A

Sam Merrill

3 points (1-4 shooting), 1 rebound, 1 assist, 1 steal

This will be quick. It just wasn’t Merrill’s night. He picked up four fouls in two minutes at the end of the third quarter — and ended the game with just three points.

Grade: F

Dean Wade

0 points (0-3 shooting), 6 rebounds, 17 minutes

This was a certified cardio Dean game if I’ve ever seen one. He left the box score almost totally blank. But 6 big rebounds (3 of them offensive) save him from being a non-factor. And, his athleticism on defense was important for holding Memphis in transition. The Grizzlies lead the league in transition scoring but only had 8 fastbreak points tonight. That’s in part due to Wade.

Grade: B-

Isaac Okoro

6 points (2-5 shooting), 4 rebounds, 1 block, 19 minutes

Is cardio Okoro (Cardoro?) a thing? If it is, that’s close to what we saw tonight. But in all honesty, it wasn’t a bad thing.

Okoro was fast to get off the ball whenever he didn’t have a shot — and he pushed in transition whenever he had the opportunity. His quick decisions and involvement in the offense are a blessing compared to his days of being trapped in the corner. He looked like an active member of the team — even if his activity didn’t lead to that many opportunities tonight.

Grade: B+