Player Grades: Ty Jerome lights it up in limited minutes
Jerome was on fire.
The Cleveland Cavaliers rested just about everyone tonight. That was almost enough to beat the four-seeded Indiana Pacers. Nevertheless, Indiana prevailed once Cleveland finally pulled the plug on all but one rotational player in the closing minutes.
Grades are based on our usual expectations for each player.
Ty Jerome
24 points (9-16 shooting), 6 assists, 2 rebounds, 1 block, 26 minutes
The Cavs rested four of five starters. This put Jerome in a position to run the show. He didn’t disappoint.
He poured in an effortless 24 points in 26 minutes. Jerome shot 9-16 from the floor, 4-of-6 from deep and dished 6 assists while hardly breaking a sweat. He had the Cavaliers’ B-team in the lead for most of the game and, in all honesty, likely would have won this game for Cleveland if he played in the fourth quarter.
We’ve seen it all season. Yet, it continues to be amazing. Jerome has proven he can go toe-to-toe with anyone when the Cavs need him to.
Grade: A+
Jarrett Allen
3 points (1-4 shooting), 10 rebounds, 1 assist, 16 minutes
It’s hard to grade a guy who knew he was only playing one half of basketball. That said, Allen was productive. 10 boards in 16 minutes is impressive. He didn’t score the ball but clearly, Allen was just trying to get to the finish line here.
Grade: B+
Craig Porter Jr.
16 points (7-17 shooting), 3 rebounds, 3 assists, 4 turnovers, 28 minutes
At times, this looked like the worst game of Craig Porter’s professional career. He was blocked at the rim three or four times. He turned it over in some truly baffling ways, including a pass to a fan in the third row.
Yet, Porter continued to attack the basket and found success in the fourth quarter. His drive-and-kick led to a handful of quality looks. And, he nailed a clutch three-pointer to keep Cleveland alive.
I can’t pretend he was good in this game. But considering the unusual load he was carrying and the fact that he was passable on defense, Porter avoids an F.
Grade: D+
Tristan Thompson
7 points (3-8 shooting), 12 rebounds, 20 minutes
It’s fairly impressive that Thompson can still come off the bench and give Cleveland respectable minutes. He isn’t mobile. He isn’t a scoring threat. And he can’t really protect the rim. But Thompson can still grab rebounds — and set a mean screen.
This was as good as you could expect from TT in 2025.
Grade: A+
Jaylon Tyson
0 points (0-4 shooting), 1 rebound, 8 minutes
Tyson missed the final shot attempt to tie the game. Other than that, you probably didn’t even notice he was on the court. He only played eight minutes and was featured in lineups that couldn’t create the advantages he’ll need to succeed as a tertiary player.
There’s not much to take from this.
Grade: C-
Sam Merrill
15 points (5-9 shooting), 4 assists, 3 rebounds, 1 steal, 1 block
The Cavs pulled Jerome for the fourth quarter. This felt like it might have been waving the white flag to Indiana. Then, Merrill went inferno for four straight three-pointers. This barrage of shooting from Merrill nearly tipped the scales. Sadly, Merrill would join Jerome on the bench only a few minutes later. Ah, well.
Grade: A+
Isaac Okoro
13 points (5-11 shooting), 2 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals
Okoro was tasked with handling the ball more often than usual. He was fairly conservative for the entire night. Occasionally, Okoro attacked a gap and forced his way to the rim. But for the most part, he filled his role and didn’t stand out one way or another.
As with Tyson, Okoro is reliant on other players to create shots around him. Tonight wasn’t a game where you’d expect Okoro to shine.
Grade: B
De’Andre Hunter
23 points (9-19 shooting), 11 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals, 1 block, 32 minutes
Hunter played a game-high 32 minutes tonight. He wasn’t shy about letting it fly. He took 19 shots and made nine of them. His bursts of scoring kept the Cavs in front for most of this game. He canned a few threes over defenders who got lazy and didn’t have their hands up. This level of shot-making will help the Cavs in the playoffs.
More so, Hunter grabbed a season-high 11 rebounds. This is only the second time all season he’s had 10+ boards. Grabbing more rebounds is a point of emphasis for Hunter and this was an encouraging game.
Grade: A
Javonte Green
3 points (1-3 shooting), 2 assists, 2 rebounds, 1 steal, 22 minutes
This was bad stuff. I mean, bad stuff.
I don’t think we need to pile on a buy-out guy for having a rough outing. He shouldn’t be playing 22 minutes in any game the Cavaliers are seriously hoping to win. That said, he was a total negative on both sides of the floor.
Green played 22 minutes and finished as a -14 in a game the Cavs only lost by two points.
Grade: F
Dean Wade
8 points (3-7 shooting), 4 assists, 4 rebounds, 2 steals
Wade played some of his best defense in a while during this game. He was stonewalling Pascal Siakam and picked up a pair of steals along the way. His presence on the glass was a plus and the Cavs likely win this game if he stays on the floor any longer.