The Cleveland Cavaliers beat the Dallas Mavericks behind an awesome game from their young guards.
Grades are based on our usual expectations for each player.
Player of the game
Tyrese Proctor
24 points, 11 rebounds, 10 assists
Proctor is in full swing of a sophomore breakout right now. He’s put together a strong week of games, culminating in this prime opportunity to prove that he can scale his usage up into a larger role.
He impacted every facet of the game, lifting Cleveland’s offense with his shot creation and providing
support on defense at the point of attack.
The Cavs have found something here. Proctor’s development isn’t something they can overlook.
Grade: A+++
Grades
Meleek Thomas
20 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists
Thomas has been the winner of the young Cavs’ season. He’s stood out in almost every game he’s appeared in, and he did not disappoint tonight in his largest role to date. His shot-making, which includes an unstoppable-looking floater, was on full display as he helped energize the Cavs to a big win.
Grade: A-
Mario Hezonja
22 points, 7 rebounds, 4 assists
Hezonja hasn’t been able to earn many minutes in previous games but was given the green light tonight out of necessity. I’d say he made the most of that opportunity, complementing every lineup he was in and providing a sense of stability. He can still be a bit dicey when defending off-ball actions, but Hezonja would be getting more minutes if it were up to me.
Mario shot 9-of-12 from the floor and hit all of the key momentum shots for Cleveland.
Grade: A+
Jaylon Tyson
18 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists
Tyson was given all the room he needed to get comfortable tonight. He didn’t have to worry about filling a role as he normally would. Instead, being granted the freedom to create for himself and serve as a dynamic offensive threat. That helped him turn in his best offensive game of the season.
Grade: A-
Thomas Bryant
19 points, 11 rebounds, 3 assists
Bryant, a veteran leader on this team, suited up in the starting lineup despite playing 16 minutes the night before in Miami. There was no rest for TB as he worked harder than anyone else on the court to make sure this team had a big man anchoring the paint on both ends of the floor.
Well done, Bryant.
Grade: A
Norchad Omier
13 points, 8 rebounds, 2 assists
Omier was the definition of heart and hustle tonight as he used his bulky frame to bang in the paint and grab rebounds. I don’t know what the ceiling is for a player like Omier, but he’s certainly helpful in setting a tone on a night like tonight.
Grade: A-
Craig Porter Jr.
9 points, 9 rebounds, 6 assists, 5 turnovers
Porter threw some highly questionable passes in this game and turned it over more than you’d like. Other than that, he had some impressive finishes around the rim and was mostly a positive.
Grade: B
Riley Minix
2 points (1-6 shooting)
Minix is back to not fitting in with this Cavs team. He simply hasn’t been able to shoot the ball efficiently, and he’s not a good enough defender to make up for it.
Grade: D
