The Cleveland Cavaliers don’t lose many games. So when they do, it’s best not to overreact. With that said — some of these grades are going to be rough.
Grades are based on our expectations of each player.
Donovan Mitchell
23 points (9-28 shooting), 6 rebounds, 5 assists, 1 steal, 3 turnovers
Mitchell made his return after missing the previous two games with a groin injury. He was clearly pressing at times to find his rhythm. Still, his aggression led to some of the best spurts of offense the Cavs had all game.
Decision-making was an issue. Mitchell’s turnovers and pull-up shot attempts reflect poorly in a close loss. You can give him credit for matching Orlando’s physicality with brute strength of his own — but the efficiency has to be better than this.
Grade: D+
Darius Garland
19 points (8-16 shooting), 6 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals, 5 turnovers
Turnovers and poor shooting defined this loss for Cleveland. Garland was not exempt as he finished with more turnovers than assists and had a difficult time establishing a rhythm on offense.
Garland fought hard against Orlando’s physicality. His aggressive drives to the hoop kept the Cavs in it after a third-quarter rally from the Magic. Still, a crucial turnover in the fourth contributed to a wave of errors that was too much for the team to overcome.
Grade: C+
Jarrett Allen
20 points (8-11 shooting), 12 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 block
Allen came to play today. With no Evan Mobley, it was understood that Allen had to be aggressive. He opened the game by repeatedly attacking the rim and scoring with ease. These opportunities began to disappear as Cleveland’s three-point shooting woes changed the dynamic of Orlando’s defense. The Magic were able to pack the paint and surround Allen while the Cavaliers failed to make them pay for it.
Overall, Allen was the best player on the floor for the Cavs. It just wasn’t enough.
Grade: A
Max Strus
10 points (4-8 shooting), 6 rebounds, 5 assists
Strus hit his first three-pointer of the night at a huge junction of this game. But then a few moments later, he missed an open attempt to tie the game. It was a tough scoring night for Strus despite a strong performance elsewhere. His playmaking and rebounding were needed. If he had only shot the ball better (1-4 from deep), the Cavs would still be streaking.
Grade: B
Sam Merrill
5 points (2-8 shooting), 2 assists, 1 rebound
The Cavs had loads of opportunities to build their lead against Orlando. Missed threes and errant turnovers held them back. While Merrill took good care of the ball, he shot just 1-of-7 from deep. Four of which were completely unguarded.
For as hard as Merrill fought on defense, it’s tough to ignore those key misses.
Grade: F
Dean Wade
3 points (1-2 shooting), 6 rebounds, 3 steals
Wade let great be the enemy of good in today’s game. He was one of the only Cavaliers who looked like they might have it going from deep. The only issue is — he never let us find out. Wade passed on a few looks that were open enough to shoot. But, that’s never been his game. His passive approach to offense keeps him from making huge mistakes — but it also holds him back from saving the day, too.
Grade: C-
Isaac Okoro
2 points (1-2 shooting), 2 rebounds, 8 minutes
This wasn’t the right matchup for Okoro. Not when the rest of the team is struggling to score. Orlando’s defense posed too much of a challenge for the Cavs to leave Okoro on the floor for long. He finished as a -13 in just eight minutes.
Grade: F
De’Andre Hunter
9 points (2-11 shooting), 5 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal
Hunter took his first loss in a Cleveland Cavalier uniform today. A better shooting performance could have avoided this. Yet, his still been an undeniable addition to this team. He was due for a stinker at the wrong time.
Hunter’s defense on Paolo Banchero is worth noting. The Cavs will need Hunter to be their wing-stopper in the playoffs. He helped hold Banchero to 6-22 shooting in this one.
Grade: D+
Ty Jerome
12 points (5-9 shooting), 1 rebound, 1 assist, 3 turnovers
This was a tale of two halves for Jerome. He was the usual sparkplug off the bench in the first. Then, he coughed the ball up numerous times in the third quarter to concede all momentum.
This was a rare bad game from Jerome in what has otherwise been one of the most miraculous comeback seasons we’ve ever seen.
Grade: D+
Tristan Thompson
0 points (0-1 shooting), 3 rebounds, 1 assist, 11 minutes
No Mobley meant Thompson had to see the floor today. All things considered, he was fine. Orlando isn’t a team that’s equipped to attack him in space — so Thompson held his own on defense. He was a no-show on offense, as expected.
Grade: C-
