The Cleveland Cavaliers rallied back for a win on the road against the Sacramento Kings. They can thank their new backcourt for this one.
All grades are based on our usual expectations for each player.
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Donovan Mitchell
35 points, 4 assists, 2 rebounds, 2 steals, 2 blocks
Mitchell took a backseat in the first half as his new co-star took his turn learning the offense. But in the second half, Don understood it was his time to be aggressive. He began windmilling and bombarding the Kings from all areas of the floor.
Mitchell had 6 points at the half, then scored 12 points in the third quarter, and 17 points in the fourth to finish with a game-high 35 points.
Grade: A
James Harden
23 points, 8 assists, 2 rebounds
It’s tough to join a team midseason and immediately find your groove. This started as a feel-out game if I’ve ever seen one. Harden did an excellent job running Cleveland’s pick-and-roll, but it took some time for him to be start scoring the rock.
Harden officially welcomed himself to the Cavaliers by pouring in 15 points in the fourth quarter. He and Mitchell combined for a whopping 32 points in the final frame, escaping Sacramento with a win (and delivering a Travis Scott endorsement with him).
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Grade: A
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Jarrett Allen
29 points, 10 rebounds, 1 assist
Props to Allen. He’s not only carried additional weight with Evan Mobley on the sidelines, but he’s found a new pick-and-roll partner in Harden who can get him more involved than ever before. This was an awesome glimpse at a two-man game that I can’t wait to watch develop. Allen shot 11-12 tonight, starting the game 11-11.
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Grade: A+
Jaylon Tyson
10 points, 0 assists, 6 rebounds, 3 turnovers
A lot was going on in this game. Tyson never found his role in it all. He finished with a minus-27 in nearly 30 minutes. That’s tough to do in a game you won.
Grade: F
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Keon Ellis
6 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 steals, 1 block, 17 minutes
I would have liked more Ellis in this game. His defensive playmaking and three-point shooting are skills that fit any lineup. Kenny Atkinson eventually decided he agreed, closing this game with Ellis.
Grade: A-
Nae’Qwan Tomlin
6 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists
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Tomlin is still getting ignored by opposing defenses. That led to some clunky spacing in his minutes. But, as is the story of the season, his energy and activity keep Tomlin as one of the team’s highest plus/minus players. He finished as a plus 16 tonight.
Grade: C+
Dennis Schroder
7 points, 4 assists, 3 rebounds
Schroder’s scrappy style is going to fit right in with Cleveland’s bench. He had a few instances of tunnel vision (3-9 shooting) tonight. Other than that, Schroder was a serviceable backup guard.
Grade: B
Sam Merrill
2 points, 1 rebound, 2 assists
Merrill has done a lot to earn some benefit of the doubt when he has a poor shooting night. He’s usually able to be effective even when his shots aren’t falling. But I don’t think anything was working for Sam tonight. He finished 0-6 from the floor.
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Grade: F
Craig Porter Jr.
4 points, 4 assists, 3 rebounds, 2 steals
This wasn’t a great game for Porter. His lack of shooting can be crippling on the offense when his defense isn’t making up for it. He contributed as a playmaker and even swiped a few steals, but Porter was overall too out of place for me to feel good about his performance.
Grade: D+
Thomas Bryant
10 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists
Bryant nailed back-to-back three-pointers in the first half. After that, his mobility became a serious liability for the Cavaliers’ defense. It is what it is. We knew this was a limitation for TB.
Grade: C+
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