The Cleveland Cavaliers managed to win a game they probably shouldn’t have. Darius Garland deserves credit for that.
All grades are based on our usual expectations for each player.
Darius Garland
29 points, 6 assists, 2 rebounds
Did you forget who was the best closer in Cleveland last season? Garland didn’t. He went perfect in the fourth quarter and finished with a game-high 29 points to lead the Cavs to a comeback victory. The more Garland returns to being himself, the better this team will look.
The broadcast cut out, so you might have missed the clutchest shot of the night. Here you go.
Grade: A
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Evan Mobley
20 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 blocks, 2 steals
This one is tough to grade.
I’m a bit ticked that Mobley didn’t dominate this matchup and put the team on his back when they so clearly needed him to take over. Still, he was fine on both ends of the floor. It’s just getting harder and harder to accept ‘fine’ from a player of this caliber.
Grade: B
Sam Merrill
19 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists
Merrill might be the only reason Cleveland was in this game at halftime. His hot shooting hasn’t cooled down at all this season. He went 6-10 from downtown tonight.
Grade: A-
Craig Porter Jr.
8 points, 9 assists, 9 rebounds, 3 blocks, 2 steals
Let’s give Porter a huge pat on the back. He’s become everything the Cavs have asked of him. Porter is a scrappy, do-it-all backup guard who nearly had a triple-double tonight. They don’t win this game without a pair of Porter plays where he first dove to the ground to recover an offensive rebound, then shortly after exploded through the air to block a Pacers layup. That’s a lot of heart from a 6’2” guard.
Grade: A+
De’Andre Hunter
12 points, 2 assists, 9 rebounds, 5 turnovers
On one hand, Hunter did a lot to help his team today. Grabbing 9 rebounds and shooting an efficient 5-9 from the floor is pretty good. But Hunter also had 5 turnovers and 4 personal fouls. He wasn’t exactly engaged on defense, and his decision-making has been way off the mark.
Grade: D+
Jarrett Allen
19 points, 12 rebounds, 4 assists
I can’t blame you if you’ve felt annoyed by Allen at times this season. He hasn’t always looked enthusiastic out there. But the stats speak for themselves tonight. A big-time double-double when the team needed it most. Allen also grabbed the game-clinching rebound when Indiana attempted to recover their own missed free throw.
Grade: A-
Jaylon Tyson
3 points, 2 rebounds, 4 assists
Tyson is working through some speed bumps. He struggled in his last two games and was pretty quiet tonight.
Grade: C+
Nae’Qwan Tomlin
7 points, 1 assist, 3 rebounds
Tomlin still has limitations. Opponents don’t defend him behind the three-point line and he’s prone to making mistakes on defense. But he was a team-high plus-10 tonight. Energy can go a long way.
Grade: B-
