The Cleveland Cavaliers have won three straight games.
All grades are based on our usual expectations for each player.
NOTE: I retroactively took half a grade away from everyone tonight for the three-point defense. That’s what happens when your opponent matches the NBA record for threes made.
Jarrett Allen
13 points, 9 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, 2 blocks
Allen was in his bag tonight. His behind-the-back dribble into a monster dunk was my favorite moment of the game. But he also rejected the Grizzlies at the rim
and showed his usual two-way impact throughout the night.
The Cavs are getting the most out of Allen, who is visibly still working through some discomfort in his knee.
Grade: B+
Evan Mobley
24 points, 4 assists, 6 rebounds
Mobley had a favorable matchup all night. The Cavs did a fine job of taking advantage of that, repeatedly dumping the ball to Mobley and playing off his gravity. The result was a game-high 24 points for Mobley on 9-11 shooting.
I’m going to ding him slightly for not revving the engines even more. This could have been a 30+ point game for Mobley with the way he was rolling.
Grade: B+
Keon Ellis
19 points, 8 assists, 4 rebounds, 1 steal
Ellis is in a groove. He scored 16 points in the first half on 6-9 shooting and delivered an electric dunk to help Cleveland erase a 17-point deficit. His 8 assists are perhaps the most impressive part of this stat line. The Grizzlies began to overcommit, and Ellis made them pay with his playmaking.
Grade: A
Craig Porter Jr.
11 points, 8 rebounds, 6 assists, 2 steals, 2 blocks
This is back-to-back games from Porter where I felt like he was matching his impact from earlier in the season. He filled up the box score by being everywhere all at once. He’s a lot of fun to watch, especially in a league that has moved away from players like Porter in favor of more three-point specialists.
Grade: A
Sam Merrill
21 points, 2 rebounds, 2 assists, 3 steals
Merill scored about half of his points in the third quarter. This was a stage of the game where it felt like Cleveland was truly pulling away. His three-level scoring has been a surprise development, and Merrill is proving he earned every penny of his offseason extension.
Grade: A–
Nae’Qwan Tomlin
10 points, 9 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal, 1 block
Similar to Porter, Tomlin just put together two of his better games of 2026. He’s rediscovered his niche by being an energizer who assaults the glass on every possession.
Grade: A-
Dennis Schroder
22 points, 11 assists, 4 rebounds
Schroder looks much better when he’s free to be the lead guard. He’s not someone who can thrive as an off-ball player. We understand that Schroder isn’t consistent enough to play this role for long on a winning team — but he’s clearly capable of being a substitute when you’re in a pinch.
He shot 8-12 and dished out a game-high 11 assists. That’s a big boost when you’re missing both Donovan Mitchell and James Harden.
Grade: A
Larry Nance Jr
10 points, 3 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal
Nance again provided quality minutes with the bench. I’m not sure if he’s done enough to warrant any minutes in the playoffs, but it’s good to see Nance dust off his shoulders before the season ends.
Grade: B
Tyrese Proctor
10 points, 2 rebounds, 1 assist, 3 steals
The rook is getting some run before the season ends, and he’s likely out of the rotation. These are valuable reps for Proctor as he prepares for an offseason of improvement. The raw potential is there, but it will be hard for him to be truly impactful when he shoots 2-8 from the floor like tonight.
Credit for getting to the line and making up for it.
Grade: C–
