Player Grades: Cavs vs. Pelicans - Jerome and Niang pour it on

Jerome and Niang combined for 13 three-pointers.

The Cleveland Cavaliers proved they don’t belong in the loss column for long. They bounced back quickly by punishing an undermanned New Orleans Pelicans team.

Grades are based on our expectations for each player.

Evan Mobley

9 points (3-9 shooting), 7 rebounds, 1 assist, 3 blocks, 18 minutes

It was a short night for Cleveland’s core starters. Mobley played his fewest minutes of the season as the Cavaliers took a commanding lead by the third quarter. Mobley didn’t establish himself as a scorer before the game got out of hand — but his defense was a key reason New Orleans was unable to get rolling themselves. Three blocks and plenty of rim deterrence give Mobley a boost. — Tony Pesta

Grade: B-

Donovan Mitchell

10 points (4-10 shooting), 2 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals, 20 minutes

Again, none of Cleveland’s usual starters had to exert themselves in this game. Mitchell scored his 10 points with ease, spinning and fading away on multiple jumpers. With eight of New Orleans’ best players out with injuries — Mitchell never had to press the button tonight. I think that’s a positive even if it results in a lackluster grade. — TP

Grade: C+

Ty Jerome

29 points (10-19 shooting, 7-12 from three), 3 rebounds, 1 assist

Jerome has gone from afterthought to firmly in the Cavs rotation as the season has progressed. He may prove that he’s much more than that if he keeps up the torrid pace he’s been on.

That 20-point second quarter was a near out-of-body experience. It wasn’t a Cavalanche, it was a one-man typhoon. His three second-quarter threes just emboldened him to do more in the final two minutes. Jerome pulled up off a Jarrett Allen screen three feet behind the three-point line.

He followed that up with a 37-foot pull-up the next possession down.

Jerome then capped it off with a casual three just inside the logo that sent the bench into a frenzy.

Kenny Atkinson said Jerome has been “elite” pregame. He was right. — Jackson Flickinger

Grade: S

Jarrett Allen

16 points (7-7 shooting), 11 rebounds, 4 assists

Allen didn’t have incredible stats, but he was the aggressive version of himself that he needed to be when going up against a thinner frontcourt. He relentlessly attacked the Pelican’s front line the way you expect him to when he has a mismatch. — JF

Grade: A

Jaylon Tyson

16 points (7-12 shooting), 11 rebounds, 7 assists, 2 steals

Tyson wasn’t thrown into the fire against Boston last night. Instead, the Cavaliers kept a patient approach by saving the rookie’s first meaningful minutes for a game better suited for him. Tyson wasted no time, pounding the glass and shooting perfect for most of this game.

The path forward for Tyson will require a few things. On offense, he needs to be a connective piece who knocks down shots and creates for others. Then on defense, Tyson has to find a way to be an impactful player. Cleaning the glass and dishing out seven assists helped him check off all the boxes tonight. This was an impressive “debut” even if it came against a decimated Pelicans’ roster. — TP

Grade: A+

Georges Niang

20 points (6-14 shooting, 6-12 from three), 4 rebounds, 2 assists

Niang has had an incredible bounce-back season. He’s looked like a complete basketball player than the one he was last season. Atkinson has used him in a wide variety of ways, and he’s excelled.

Tonight, Niang just needed to be a stretch for that spaced the floor. He did that excellently against New Orleans. — JF

Grade: A

Craig Porter Jr.

4 points (2-5 shooting), 7 assists, 2 steals, 2 blocks

Porter didn’t have the standout performance he did yesterday, but it was a solid showing. He continues to make an impact as an on-ball screener and he made the right reads every time he was asked to do so. The blocks and steals were also useful.— JF

Grade: B

Luke Travers

4 points (2-6 shooting), 3 assists, 2 rebounds, 1 steal, 30 minutes

This game showed you Travers in a nutshell. He’s a lanky wing who can do a little bit of everything, at his best. The question is — how good is he at any given skill? Travers can dribble, but does he create advantages at the NBA level? Can he space the floor? Which trait does he polish to become his calling card?

Right now the defensive end is Travers’ strong suit. He’s a mobile defender who can provide rim protection in a pinch. Offensively, however, Travers is still searching for a way to contribute. His best moment came in transition when his athleticism popped on a run to the rim.

All in all, you can’t be too tough on a guy playing his first legitimate NBA minutes. Perhaps he’ll look more comfortable on offense as the season goes on. — TP

Grade: C

J.T. Thor

12 points (4-4 shooting), 2 rebounds, 2 steals, 1 block, 12 minutes

This is the pitch for Thor. He’s a shot-blocking big who can drain three-pointers from all over the floor. He turned an uphill DHO into a three-pointer tonight — and later, buried a smothered corner three with a rapid release. Mixed in between, he packed the Pels on a weakside rotation and block.

Thor’s time in the NBA hasn’t panned out just yet. But he only turned 22 in August. There’s a lot of raw potential to work with here. Whatever his ceiling might be, this was a solid step toward finding out. — TP

Grade: A+

Tristan Thompson

8 points (4-7 shooting), 10 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 blocks, 21 minutes

Put Thompson on a basketball court and he’s going to grab rebounds. A double-double should come as no surprise for Thompson even at this stage of his career. He has a gift for seeking out loose balls and will be cleaning the glass for as long as he’s able to walk. Thompson isn’t someone you want to rely on for the full length of an NBA season but it’s nice to have a serviceable backup big enter the fray and get the job done.

Bonus points for being an NBA champion. Forever. — TP

Grade: A+