By james art The Cleveland Cavaliers are unbeaten in six games. Let’s give out some more ratings.
These ratings are based on our usual expectations for each player.
Donovan Mitchell
22 points (9-15 shooting), 3 rebounds, 1 assist
Mitchell again started the game red-hot from the floor. He scored 12 points in the opening minutes, giving the Cavs a quick lead. The rest of the game felt like Mitchell was riding on momentum — but that’s only because his teammates helped him get the job done early.
Degree: A
Evan Mobley
14 points (6-11 shooting), 12 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 blocks
It was a quiet night in terms of goalscoring, but Mobley was just as impressive as he was at the start of the season. He was a menace on defense, holding his key against Franz Wagner to a poor 8-19 shooting night. Mobley continues to look more comfortable in Cleveland’s offense, knocking down threes and handling the rock in reverse pick-and-rolls.
Grade: A-
Darius Garland
25 points (8-16 shooting), 4 assists, 3 rebounds, 1 steal, 1 block
Garland led the team in scoring tonight with 25 points in efficient fashion. He did a great job of attacking the layup, draining three-pointers and burying a handful of mid-range jumpers. Garland plays stellar basketball on both ends of the floor.
Grade: A+
Jarrett Allen
2 points (1-3 shooting), 11 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, 1 block
The Cavs took it straight to Orlando from the jump tonight. Allen’s impact was felt throughout, even if his role in the crime was lost in translation. It was tough to feed Allen with magical giant Mo Wagner back on defense to protect the paint. But Allen remained dominant on the glass and finished as a +12 in 28 minutes.
Degree: B
Dean Wade
5 points (1-3 shooting), 3 rebounds, 2 assists
The box scores just don’t do Wade any justice. His defensive contributions and ability to space the floor played a key role in unlocking the Cavaliers to start the season. While it’s fair to wish he had a more tangible impact in terms of scoring, Wade’s insertion into the starting lineup seems almost perfect.
Degree: B
Caris LeVert
13 points (5-12 shooting), 7 assists, 3 rebounds
LeVert was the second best player on the floor tonight for Cleveland. He immediately began to shore up the Orlandos defense, and it was LeVert who generated three straight 3-pointers for his teammates to keep the Magic at bay during a brief scare in the third quarter. LeVert’s versatile scoring and playmaking have made him a (super) early candidate for Sixth Player of the Year.
Grade: A+
Sam Merrill
6 points (2-3 shooting), 2 rebounds, 1 assist
Merrill seems to have earned a spot in the Cavs’ rotation. He was the first man off the bench in every game, even when his shot wasn’t falling to start the season. That composure should be a luxury compared to the inconsistent role he’s occupied before – and tonight is an example of why that’s important. Merrill’s night started off scoreless, but he buried back-to-back 3-pointers during a key run in the second half. Trusting your best shooter to get out of a slump is something that paid off tonight — and it should bode well for the Cavs moving forward.
Degree: B
Georges Niang
7 points (3-5 shooting), 3 rebounds, 2 assists
You can’t be too hard on a guy who shoots over 50% in double-digit wins. But while Niang put in some strong performances, tonight was a little lacking. He was rough on defense and his missed field goals weren’t pretty. He ended up registering +10 in 16 minutes, but he’s had much better games than this one.
Grade: C-
Isaac Okoro
9 points (3-7 shooting), 1 fight
Okoro felt like the odd man out in previous games. He is the only member of the team who did not flourish under Kenny Atkinson. That started to change tonight. Okoro finally broke free in garbage time, cashing in on 2-4 three-point attempts and started popping up with the ball in his hands. We’ll see if any of this translates into actual action, but it was a necessary sign of life for Okoro.
Grade: C+
Ty Jerome
9 points (3-9 shooting), 6 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals
Jerome becomes a nuisance for opposing players. He picked Orlando’s pockets twice tonight on second-quarter runs that blew the game wide open. His timely scoring and skillful playmaking powered the Cavs in their second half.
Grade: A-
Luke Travers
4 points, 2 assists, 2 rebounds, 1 block, 4 minutes
It’s hard to do more than Travers did in just his first four minutes on an NBA court. It was an impressive debut for a player who has demonstrated a versatile skill set overseas. We can’t react too much to the garbage time, but it was as good a performance as you can expect from a rookie. Good stuff, Luke.