The Cleveland Cavaliers are down in the hole, facing elimination after dropping Game 3 to the New York Knicks.
All grades are based on our usual expectations for each player.
Donovan Mitchell
23 points, 1 rebound, 4 assists, 3 steals, 5 turnovers
The Cavs need more from Mitchell. It’s felt that way for most of the postseason. But as the Cavs have gone further, we keep waiting for him to elevate and meet the moment. Aside from the first three quarters of Game 1, it just hasn’t happened.
An inefficient scoring night that isn’t being bolstered by quality decision-making or defensive prowess is hard to justify. Mitchell finished with 5 runovers and just 4 assists, ending the game as a team-worst minus-22.
Grade: D
James Harden
19 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists, 1 steal, 5 turnovers
Harden was keeping the Cavs in the fight throughout the first half with his isolation scoring. That’s also been a trend this postseason. He’s had moments where his scoring was enough to raise Cleveland’s floor. But no one else has come to save the day, and the wear and tear of playing every other day for a month is making it impossible for this to be sustainable.
Harden’s impact dwindled in the second half as the Cavs struggled to get stops, and he no longer had enough energy to keep the offense alive. He shot 1-7 from downtown and turned it over five times.
Grade: C-
Evan Mobley
24 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 block, 5 turnovers
Mobley’s three-point shot abandoned him (1-6 from downtown), and he had an uncharacteristically bad game taking care of the ball (6 turnovers). Those two aspects make it hard to grade Mobley much higher.
Still, Mobley’s defense isn’t an issue, and he’s been dominant in the paint. We’ve seen limitations, like his inability to post up or create offense for himself, but it’s hard to blame him too much for what’s happened in this series so far.
Grade: B-
Jarrett Allen
17 points, 7 rebounds
Unlike 2023, the bigs are not the problem here.
Allen had a strong 17 points and 7 rebounds, four of which were offensive. He’s won the physical battle and taken care of the opportunities given to him. If the Cavs were converting outside shots and allowing him to operate with more space inside, he’d be even more effective. But there aren’t many more ways for Allen to impact the game than what he’s already doing.
Grade: B–
Dean Wade
0 points, 2 rebounds, 1 assist
Wade played 16 minutes, took one shot (missed it), and apparently grabbed 2 rebounds. I don’t remember any of it. This was the definition of a Cardio Dean game, and it’s not going to cut it if he’s going to remain in the starting lineup.
Grade: F
Max Strus
13 points, 7 rebounds, 6 assists, 1 steal
Strus left it all out there tonight. He certainly didn’t have it falling from downtown, only finishing 4-11 from deep after hitting a pair of triples in garbage time. But he was hustling harder than anyone, playing this game with the urgency that it commanded. He added 7 rebounds and 6 assists, serving as one of the only Cavaliers who tried to impact the game in other ways outside of their role.
Grade: B
Dennis Schroder
3 points, 2 assists
Schroder only played 9 minutes tonight. I’m not sure if this matchup has much for him. They shouldn’t need his ball-handling in this series in the way they did against the Pistons or Raptors, but they’ve continued to roll with him even in small-ball lineups that have been crushed.
Grade: D
Sam Merrill
6 points, 3 rebounds, 1 assist
Merrill continues to shoot below what you’d expect from him. He’s had some great looks in the last two games and just can’t find his groove. He shot 2-4, which is obviously good, but he’s missed some of the most open opportunities he’s had all year. This could have easily been a 4-4 type of night from Sam, and that would have helped quite a bit.
Grade: C–
Jaylon Tyson
3 points, 3 rebounds, 1 assist
Tyson received one stint in the first half and looked like he was ready to deliver. His and-one finish drew one of the loudest cheers of the night, and he was staying in his role defensively. I’m not sure why he didn’t get any more minutes the rest of the way.
Grade: B+
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