Player Grades: Cavs vs Nets

Garland lead the way.

An undermanned Cleveland Cavaliers put their win streak in jeopardy tonight. Thankfully, Darius Garland showed up to carry them when it mattered most.

Grades are based on our expectations of each player.

Darius Garland

30 points (11-24 shooting), 8 assists, 4 rebounds, 4 steals

The Cavs needed Garland to be an elite floor general with Donovan Mitchell and Ty Jerome absent. For the first three quarters, it felt like DG might fall short of that task.

Garland had done a fine job distributing the ball but he was struggling to assert himself as a scorer. His three-point shot hasn’t fallen with consistency in more than a week — and tonight was no different. But in the fourth quarter, Garland finally ditched the deep ball and instead focused his efforts on attacking the rim.

We saw Garland’s lethal handle work to get him into the teeth of Brooklyn’s defense. He converted layup after layup as he nearly outscored the Nets entirely on his own with 16 points in the fourth quarter.

Grade: A+

Jarrett Allen

23 points (5-6 shooting), 13 rebounds, 1 assist, 3 blocks

The Cavs don’t win this game without Allen. As his team registered their worst three-point shooting night of the season — Allen took matters into his own hands by grabbing six offensive rebounds. His energy in the third quarter allowed Cleveland to reclaim momentum after previously falling behind by 18 points.

Allen’s monster double-double was necessary. The Nets aren’t as talented as the Cavs but they were playing harder than Cleveland until Allen threw himself into the ring. In a game that was decided by two possessions, Allen’s work on the glass was the difference.

Grade: A+

Max Strus

10 points (2-10 shooting), 5 rebounds, 4 assists

An efficient scoring night from Strus would have made this game a lot easier. Instead, it was a dogfight as Strus finished 2-9 from deep and 0-1 from inside the arc. His playmaking was a boost — but the team desperately needed his shooting.

Grade: D

Evan Mobley

21 points (9-13 shooting), 9 rebounds, 6 assists, 1 block

This was a quiet game from Mobley. And yet, he flirted with a 20-point triple-double. He was aggressive early on with most of his points coming in the first half. Mobley began to disappear as the game went on — but his presence on the glass and as a playmaker remained.

I would have liked to see Mobey attack individual matchups more in this game. Brooklyn’s lack of size was a recipe for a Mobley explosion. Still, 21 points in a game where the Cavs struggled to score from deep was vital.

Grade: A-

Craig Porter

7 points (3-6 shooting), 4 rebounds, 3 assists

The Cavs' bench was not very helpful tonight. Craig Porter is one of the exceptions. He had some rough moments — but Porter’s tenacity was an immediate help. He snatched a rebound and went coast-to-coast in his first minute on the court. And with the third quarter winding down — Porter buried a halfcourt shot that got the Cleveland crowd back into the game.

For a third-string guard, you can’t ask for too much more.

Grade: A-

Sam Merrill

6 points (2-7 shooting), 6 rebounds

Merrill had a few opportunities to spark a Cavalanche. He wasn’t able to hit any of the giant, momentum-swinging shots. Still, his gravity is always helpful, especially in a game where the Cavs were missing three of their best shooters. And Merrill’s activity has been at an all-time high. Six hustle boards and some feisty defense will allow Merrill to break even despite a poor shooting night.

Grade: C

Dean Wade

3 points (1-4 shooting), 1 rebound, 1 assist, 1 steal

There wasn’t a lot going on for Wade in this game. He wasn’t grabbing rebounds or knocking down open threes. All you can hang your hat on is some elite, switchable defense. If that’s the worst you can give me, I’ll take it.

Grade: D

Isaac Okoro

6 points (3-10 shooting), 5 rebounds, 2 steals

Okoro was bad from downtown. He shot 0-5 from deep and one of them hit the top of the backboard. But Okoro’s defense helped turn the tide in the second half. He was hounding Cam Thomas after a hot start to suppress him the rest of the way. And Okoro’s pressure on Cam Johnson forced a crucial turnover late in the game.

The Cavs won’t ideally ask Okoro to handle this much offensive responsibility moving forward. But if he can at least rebound the ball and disrupt an opponent on defense —then it’s worth something.

Grade: C+

Javonte Green

3 points (1-3 shooting), 1 rebound

Green was an instant-impact player the last time Cleveland called on him. Tonight, he was a trainwreck. He shot 1-of-3, including a missed dunk and airballed layup. His defense was out of sorts, conceding a handful of open threes in his six minutes on the court.

Look, Green isn’t expected to change games consistently. He’s an end-of-rotation player who joined the team on a buyout deal. I expect him to be better than what he showed tonight — but no one should be holding him to the fire for this.

Grade: F