Player Grades: Cavs vs Pistons
The Cavs defense came to play.
The Cleveland Cavaliers entered this game on a three-game skid. We’ve seen them dominate all season — but we had no idea how they would respond to a losing streak for the first time this season. Tonight, we saw a pretty resounding statement on the defensive end.
Grades are based on our usual expectations for each player.
Donovan Mitchell
21 points (6-12 shooting), 6 assists, 2 rebounds, 1 steal
At various points throughout the season, Mitchell has taken a backseat as the rest of his teammates step in to carry the load. He did so tonight, only attempting 12 shots but remaining on the pulse of the offense.
Mitchell chose his spots well. He shot 50% from the floor and dished out six assists as the Pistons had a difficult time containing him. Mitchell’s scoring throughout helped ease the Cavaliers into a rhythm even when their three-point shots weren’t falling. The team finished just 12-44 from deep (27%). A game like this could have been brutal if it weren’t for Mitchell’s effortless shot creation.
Grade: A-
Evan Mobley
11 points (4-9 shooting), 14 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals, 2 blocks
Mobley didn’t quite look himself in his first game back against the Houston Rockets. He was much closer to the two-way star we’ve seen all season tonight. He had moments where Detroit felt hopeless trying to find an opening. His two blocks don’t paint the full picture of how dominant Mobley is as a rim protector.
More importantly, Mobley hauled in 14 rebounds. The Cavs had previously been struggling to hold opponents on the glass. They won the rebounding battle tonight in large part to Mobley’s efforts.
He wasn’t a huge scoring threat (0-2 from three) but Mobley’s mid-range jumper was falling tonight.
Grade: B+
Darius Garland
22 points (8-19 shooting), 7 assists, 5 rebounds
Garland continues to be the engine that drives Cleveland’s offense. He was on top of everything, setting up teammates and dishing one of the only true bursts of scoring the Cavaliers enjoyed all night. Garland’s two triples in the fourth quarter were backbreakers for Detroit.
The Cavaliers already have one player in the All-Star Game. They should expect Mobley to be there as well. But if Garland is somehow absent — then something has gone wrong. He’s been one of the most impactful guards in the NBA this season.
Grade: A
Jarrett Allen
15 points (6-10 shooting), 11 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 steal, 1 block
It felt like Allen was sleepwalking in his recent games. That wasn’t the case tonight. He was bombastic in the paint and laughing at the free throw line. This was one of the more active games Allen has had all month and it couldn’t have come at a better time. His rim protection was a core reason the Cavs held Detroit to just 91 points and his steady presence on the other end gave the Cavaliers an offensive option other than chucking three-pointers.
Grade: A+
Max Strus
10 points (4-9 shooting), 8 rebounds, 2 assists
Ignore the three-point shooting (2-7). This was the best game Max Strus has played all season. He was incredibly active on defense, drawing the matchup with Cade Cunningham and aiding in an effort to hold him to 9-of-26 shooting. Strus was fighting over screens, walling up defensively and contesting every shot. His 8 rebounds were the icing on the cake.
Strus might have struggled from deep, as everyone in this game did. but his activity off the ball is what we’ve come to expect from him. A pair of backdoor cuts allowed him to break away for easy layups in the second half. Pair this with his defense and it was the closest thing to last season’s Strus that we’ve seen.
Grade: A
Georges Niang
3 points (1-9 shooting), 3 rebounds
In complete contrast to Strus, this was possibly the worst game we’ve seen from Niang. He was somehow worse defensively than his previous game — despite the Cavaliers holding Detroit to nearly 40 fewer points than Houston. Niang was unable to contain anyone, unable to grab a rebound, and unable to contest shots without fouling (five fouls in 20 minutes).
To top it off, he shot 1-9 from the floor. You might be able to stomach the poor defense when he’s knocking down shots, but it’s hard to watch when neither end of the floor is coming together.
Grade: F
Ty Jerome
15 points (7-11 shooting), 3 assists, 2 rebounds
Jerome put together one of the most efficient scoring performances of the night. Bear in mind, Mitchell, Allen and Merrill are the only other Cavaliers who shot above 50% from the floor. Jerome’s contributions off the bench are a key reason the Cavs were able to build and maintain a lead against the Pistons.
Jerome has had scorching-hot three-point shooting games. This wasn't one of them. Instead, he worked his way into the paint and converted a handful of floaters.
Grade: B+
Sam Merrill
8 points (3-6 shooting), 4 rebounds
Merrill is closer to being a three-point specialist than he is an all-around player. That’s why it’s crucial he delivers on the promise of being an elite shooter in order to justify his minutes. He accomplished that tonight by hitting two triples at a key junction of the game.
Grade: B-
Jaylon Tyson
5 points (1-4 shooting), 2 rebounds, 2 assists
With Niang giving them nothing and Tristan Thompson being a last resort — Kenny Atkinson gave the rookie a chance. Tyson played it safe on offense, avoiding any risks and making simple reads for two assists. Then on defense, he played a physical game and provided help on the glass.
It wasn’t anything impressive. But it wasn’t bad, either. Something like that could be valuable with the variance Cleveland has gotten from their backup frontcourt depth.
Tyson has hardly played meaningful minutes this season. But... we are officially getting to the point where he’s seen enough of the floor to avoid looking like a deer in the headlights. I’m interested to see how his game progresses if he continues to get an opportunity,