The Cleveland Cavaliers won their home opener 119-113 against the Milwaukee Bucks. This one was an all-around team effort.
Grades are based on our usual expectations for each player.
Donovan Mitchell
24 points (9-20 shooting), 4 assists, 3 rebounds, 1 steal, 5 turnovers
Mitchell didn’t have a great night shooting the ball. He was 1-8 from deep and missed multiple free throws. He did, however, make up for this by routinely getting into the teeth of Milwaukee’s defense. He dazzled the Bucks with his go-to ‘over-the-head’
swim move, and converted a huge and-one during the fourth quarter when momentum was starting to slip away. Mitchell finished the game shooting 8-12 from inside two-point range.
Grade: A-
De’Andre Hunter
16 points (6-13 shooting), 4 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 turnover
Hunter rejoined the starting lineup and made his season debut tonight. He made his impact felt right away by grabbing a handful of rebounds and proving some much-needed offensive versatility. Hunter’s ability to score from all areas of the floor, as well as handle the ball and create for himself, is something this team was missing in their first two games.
Grade: A-
Evan Mobley
23 points (5-13 shooting), 8 rebounds, 6 assists, 3 steals, 2 turnovers
The Cavs are testing how much offensive responsibility they can put on Mobley’s plate. That has led to some growing pains early on. Mobley felt rushed throughout the first three quarters of the game, but started to find his groove down the stretch. The Cavs turned to him for clutch free throws in the final minute, with Mobley confidently knocking down all four attempts.
Grade: B+
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Jarrett Allen
8 points (5-12 shooting), 11 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, 1 turnover
Aside from an opening night stinker, Allen has been the two-way presence we’ve come to expect. He continued to be a positive contributor tonight, racking up 10+ rebounds for the first time this season en route to a near double-double performance.
Grade: B
Lonzo Ball
11 points (4-7 shooting), 6 rebounds, 5 assists, 1 steal, 3 turnovers
Ball hasn’t had a great start to the season offensively. He entered tonight’s game shooting just 1-11 from the field. But Ball finally found a rhythm during the first half when he dished out consecutive dimes, forced a turnover from Giannis Antetokounmpo, then nailed a standstill three-pointer to get the Cleveland crowd officially back into mid-season form.
Grade: A+
Sam Merrill
17 points (5-11 shooting), 3 rebounds, 1 assist
Merrill has been red-hot to start the season. He nailed 11 total three-pointers in Cleveland’s first two games and contributed four more tonight. The Cavs are using Merrill in motion to apply constant pressure to the defense. So far, opponents haven’t been able to keep up.
On defense, Merrill has stood out as a solid individual defender who has become increasingly impactful. His sporadic energy, combined with being in the right place at the right time, led to a few Milwaukee turnovers tonight.
Grade: A+
Larry Nance Jr.
5 points (2-3 shooting), 5 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, 1 turnover
Nance hasn’t had a huge standout game yet, but he’s been consistently helpful each night. The Cavs having another big who can hop off the bench and contribute to both ends of the floor is something that they haven’t had in recent years.
Grade: B
Dean Wade
4 points (1-5 shooting), 1 rebound, 1 assist
This was a quiet game from Wade. He played good defense and spaced the floor, at least theoritically. There isn’t much else to talk about. But even in games where Wade isn’t a standout, he fills in as a competent two-way player who doesn’t allow the ball to stop in his hands.
Grade: C+
Jaylon Tyson
5 points (2-4 shooting), 1 assist, 1 turnover
Tyson returned to the bench tonight as Hunter made his debut. He’s still searching for his ideal role in Cleveland’s offense, but his energy tonight translated to better defense than in his previous two games.
Grade: C+
Craig Porter Jr.
5 points (2-5 shooting), 3 rebounds, 1 assist, 3 steals
Head coach Kenny Atkinson said before the game that when it comes to role players like Porter, everything begins with defense. Porter embraced that challenge by working hard in pick-and-roll coverages and getting after loose balls. He was super active throughout, racking up three steals and churning out his best defensive game of the young NBA season.
Grade: A+
