Cavs felt little resistance.
The Cleveland Cavaliers decimated the Brooklyn Nets in one of their easiest victories of the season.
Grades are based on our usual expectations for each player.
Evan Mobley
21 points (7-9 shooting), 5 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal
None of the Cavaliers had to exert themselves in this game. It was over by the end of the first quarter. Still, Mobley kept his foot on the gas for a team-high 21 points on efficient shooting.
Mobley’s growth as an offensive player is the story of the Cavaliers season. Previously, Mobley may have fallen in the shadows during a game like this. But this season, the Cavaliers are placing an emphasis on pushing him out of his comfort zone on a nightly basis.
Grade: A+
Donovan Mitchell
18 points (6-14 shooting), 5 assists, 4 steals
Mitchell has had no issue giving up his individual numbers for the team’s success. He established himself as a scorer at various points of this game but never felt the need to firmly take control of the offense His selflessness should not be taken for granted.
He also swiped five steals as the Cavaliers wreaked havoc on the defensive end tonight. More on this later.
Grade: B+
Darius Garland
11 points (4-6 shooting), 6 assists, 6 turnovers
I’m not going to pretend Darius Garland was awful in a game the Cavaliers won by 29 points. Nevertheless, this was not his sharpest game.
Garland turned the ball over six times, almost all of them felt unforced. A lazy entry pass, stepping (or not stepping) on the halfcourt line, all of these are unforced errors that shouldn’t be overlooked — even if they were harmless tonight.
Grade: D
Jarrett Allen
12 points (5-5 shooting), 8 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals
Allen had one of his best games of the season previously against the Washington Wizards. In this game, Allen continued to be a positive contributor by going perfect from the floor. He showed Brooklyn no mercy on either end of the floor and deserves another quality grade.
Grade: A-
Caris LeVert
19 points (6-10 shooting), 4 assists, 2 steals, 2 blocks
LeVert was the best player on the floor tonight. Seriously, LeVert was on fire from the first moment he stepped onto the court. He looked more athletic than he has all season, flying around the floor defensively for 2 steals and 2 blocks.
This has been a fantastic start to the year for LeVert. He shot 6-for-9 from downtown tonight and is well above 45% from three for the season. We’re seeing the total package from LeVert.
Grade: A+
Sam Merrill
7 points (1-8 shooting), 3 assists
Sam… oh, Sam. The three-point shot just has not been as reliable for Merrill as it was last season. He’s shooting below 35% on the year and tonight’s performance will only drop that number lower.
Merrill works hard to break even in every other aspect of the game. He exerts himself on defense and does his best to attack closeouts offensively. But the simple truth is this: Merrill is on the court for his sharpshooting. If he wants to stay in the rotation, he has to turn it on from deep.
Grade: D
Georges Niang
17 points (7-10 shooting), 9 rebounds, 2 assists
Cavalier fans were fed up with Niang for most of last season. This year, we’re finally seeing why Koby Altman added him in free agency. Niang can contribute, especially throughout an 82-game season where you need players who can eat innings.
Niang’s near-double-double is a perfect example of this. The Cavaliers’ core is able to rest games when the bench holds them above water against lesser competition. This is everything you hoped to get from Niang.
Grade: A+
Ty Jerome
5 points (2-7 shooting), 6 assists, 3 rebounds
Let’s face it. The unfathomable shooting splits from the start of the season were never going to be sustainable. The fire has cooled down. Now, where does that leave Jerome?
He isn’t scoring in bunches like he used to. But tonight showed that Jerome can still be a useful member of the team even when he isn’t pulling from 30 feet. Jerome created offense for others and kept his turnovers to a minimum (two turnovers). If this is a bad game for Jerome then the Cavaliers could do much worse at their backup point guard position.
Grade: C+