Player grades: Cavs at 76ers
The Cavs dropped another one.
The Cleveland Cavaliers haven’t had many frustrating losses this season. But this week, they’ve had two of them as they fell to the Philadelphia 76ers.
Grades are based on our usual expectations for each player.
Donovan Mitchell
37 points (12-23 shooting), 7 assists, 3 rebounds, 3 steals
Mitchell poured in one of his best-scoring games of the season. He had it going right from the jump, easily drifting into three-pointers. It felt like this game was begging for him to deliver a classic takeover in the fourth quarter — but unfortunately, things went a different direction.
You can’t blame Mitchell for moving fast when the Cavs are trying to overcome a deficit in the final two minutes. Still, he rushed a handful of plays down the stretch, including a turnover and a pair of difficult three-point jumpers. It would have been a stellar performance if Mitchell had safely landed the plane.
Grade: B+
Darius Garland
26 points (10-21 shooting), 7 assists, 1 rebounds, 1 steal
Garland managed to shake off a brutal finish in Houston by turning in a strong performance tonight against Philly. It was far from his best — but a relatively efficient scoring night allowed the Cavs to keep up with the bombardment of three-pointers the 76ers delivered.
He was particularly strong in the third quarter, burying three of his four triples in that period. Garland didn’t keep this momentum rolling, however, scoring just three points in the final quarter.
Grade: B-
Jarrett Allen
8 points (4-8 shooting), 10 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, 1 block
The Cavs entered this game without Evan Mobley. By the end of the first half, they would be without Dean Wade too. This places a ton of responsibility on Jarrett Allen to do it all. In other words, they absolutely could not afford Allen to play this poorly given the circumstances.
It was clear from the start that Allen didn’t have it tonight. He was hesitant to score and stretched thin trying to contest shots and rebound the ball. Not having any of his usual frontcourt mates hurt. But there’s not much of an excuse for the egg he just laid.
Grade: F
Dean Wade
2 points (3-8 shooting), 4 assists, 2 rebounds, 20 minutes
Wade left the game with a knee injury and did not play in the fourth quarter.
Grade: Incomplete
Max Strus
6 points (2-7 shooting), 7 rebounds, 2 assists
The Cavs are basically begging for Strus to get himself rolling with Caris LeVert on the sidelines during this stretch. That just hasn’t happened — as Strus hasn’t scored 10 points in any of his last four games.
We’ll credit Strus for offering some much-needed help on the glass tonight. But without the scoring burst or additional playmaking, it’s hard to feel good about the game he turned in.
Grade: D
Georges Niang
5 points (2-6 shooting), 3 rebounds, 2 assists
We recently gave Niang an A+ for hauling in a career-high 10 rebounds. Now you see why that was so notable. He was a liability on defense and could not help the Cavaliers secure stops even when the 76ers rarely missed a shot. A blown layup near the end of the game seals the deal on this grade.
Grade: F
Ty Jerome
33 points (6-12 shooting), 3 assists, 3 rebounds, 2 steals
The Cavs lose this game handily if Jerome doesn’t explode off the bench. He was electric from deep, nailing all eight of his attempts. This burst of scoring was the only reason the Cavaliers had a chance — and it was his shot-making that nearly gave them a win they probably didn’t deserve.
Yet... it was Jerome’s errant pass with under 10 seconds remaining that cost the Cavs a chance to tie the game. I can’t justify a perfect grade given that factor.
Grade: A
Sam Merrill
9 points (2-6 shooting), 2 rebounds, 2 assists
Merrill scored all 9 of his points in a two-minute burst. Outside of that, this was one of the worst games he’s had all season. He couldn’t convert on any of his other attempts. Worse, Merrill isn’t the guy you want on the floor when the team is struggling to get stops. He is a three-point specialist who couldn't deliver on his reputation.
Grade: F
Tristan Thompson
0 points (0-0 shooting), 4 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 block
What do you expect from Thompson in 2025? He played 10 minutes and did all he could to win the possession battle. His value on the glass wasn’t able to be utilized as the 76ers spaced the floor and played him off it. On a different night, with fewer three-point shots falling, Thompson could have been more impactful.
Grade: C
Jaylon Tyson
3 points (1-2 shooting), 2 rebounds, 1 block
Tyson was given meaningful minutes in the fourth quarter tonight. In a key moment, he picked up a huge rejection to give the Cavaliers life. The possession ended with him missing an ugly three-point attempt... but it was a good defensive sequence to get it started.
Overall it’s hard to judge Tyson’s rookie season. He’s played such scarce minutes and hardly touches the ball when he’s on the court. You can count on him to attack the glass and play hard on defense — but the rookie isn’t ready to do much more.