The Cleveland Cavaliers won a thrilling game against the Philadelphia 76ers. They couldn’t have done it without Jaylon Tyson.
Let’s see who won and lost the night.
WINNER – Jaylon Tyson
I gave Tyson a rare A+++ in my player grades. If that tells you anything about the game he just played.
It was the type of game that’s almost hard to talk about. He was perfect, in every single way. What else is there to say?
Tyson had a career-high 39 points. It only took him 17 shots to get there, as he missed just 4 attempts all night.
He was a flamethrower from behind the arch (7-9 three-point shooting) and just as impressive attacking the basket.
He capped it off with an aggressive drive and dump-off pass to Evan Mobley for the game-winning bucket.
Tyson has shown no fear this season. And, he’s starting to show that his ceiling might be higher than anyone could have predicted. This was already the sixth time this season that Tyson has scored 19+ points on 70% or better shooting from the floor. That type of efficiency from a second-year player who is also a plus defender is almost unheard of.
LOSER – Ball Security
You can rarely blame an entire loss on one single factor. But hey, if the Cavs had lost tonight, they would have only had one thing to blame.
Turnovers were a serious problem in this game. That’s to be expected when Darius Garland isn’t there to run the offense. Still, 12 turnovers at halftime had the Cavs trailing a game they should have been winning. The 76ers finished with 32 points off Cleveland’s turnovers, a stat that should have been a backbreaker.
It takes some serious grit and determination to win a game when you’re spotting the other team that many points. Granted, Philly deserves credit for the swarming defense that they played. But also, the Cavs had plenty of unforced errors in this one, as well.
Winning can cure everything. Though I don’t think the Cavs should expect to get away with this many turnovers again.
LOSER – Evan Mobley’s Usage
This might sound harsh, because I loved the 17 points that Mobley scored on Wednesday, but now I’m complaining about his 15 points tonight. The thing is, Mobley should have gotten more opportunities with Cleveland’s injuries, not fewer.
I understand that Philly loaded up against Mobley. They know as well as we do that the Cavs needed him to score tonight with DG and Sam Merrill on the sidelines. Mobley has done a great job of reading the defense and making the correct pass this season.
Still, it should be easy to replicate the actions that Mobley excels at running. Those side pick-and-rolls that lead into jump hooks should be available at any given time. Yet, for some reason, the Cavs consistently struggle to keep Mobley involved offensively.
Putting more on Mobley’s plate shouldn’t be complicated. He doesn’t have to be a Giannis-prototype or an elite floor spacer. Can he just get a few extra possessions scoring in the short-roll? That’s all I want.
I’m glad he got the rock with the game on the line. Even if it was a simple drive and dump-off pass. That’s the type of action that Mobley can dominate. You just have to get to the basket and find him, because you can trust that he’s always lurking.
WINNER – Nae’Qwan Tomlin Dunks
Tomlin dunks every ball like he’s trying to rip the rim straight off the backboard. Had he played 40 years ago, he’d likely be responsible for several game stoppages and hoop repairs.
We love the intensity that Tomlin brings to the game. His ferocious dunks are instant highlights. And, because he goes so hard in the paint, defenders are learning to get out of his way. Joel Embiid side-stepped an opportunity to contest Tomlin on one of his violent attacks in the second half.
There isn’t much else to say about this. I just had to give him a nod.
