Player Grades: Cavs vs. Celtics

Cavs rally back for a huge win.

The Cleveland Cavaliers protected their league-best record behind an inspiring win over the Boston Celtics.

Grades are based on our usual expectations for each player.

Donovan Mitchell

35 points (12-21 shooting), 7 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals, 1 block

Mitchell couldn’t find a rhythm in the first half, scoring just 4 points while shooting 2-7 from the field. But when you’re this good, sometimes all it takes is one shot to get your flow back. Mitchell went full scorched earth in the second half — willing the Cavs to victory behind incredible shot-making.

The Celtics scored 27 points in the entire fourth quarter. Mitchell had 20 points all on his own, with 15 of them coming in the final three minutes. His flawless attack (6-6 shooting in the fourth) helped Cleveland complete the comeback victory.

Grade: A+

Evan Mobley

9 points (4-13 shooting), 10 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 blocks, 1 steal

Mobley had strung together a few impressive games against Boston before this one. This time, Kristaps Porzinigis seemed to give him fits in the paint. Mobley was out of sorts and couldn’t get an easy opportunity to score at any point. He managed to adjust throughout the game to create plays for others — and even converted a few aggressive drives in the second half to avoid a complete stinker. His versatile defense (4 stocks) helps his grade, as well.

Grade: D+

Darius Garland

22 points (5-12 shooting), 8 assists, 0 turnovers

Garland had a nightmare game against Boston in their most recent matchup. He quickly responded with an efficient 15 points in the first half tonight. He kept his finger on the pulse of the offense, giving the Cavs enough scoring and playmaking throughout to keep them steady.

But it was Garland’s defense that gave him a perfect grade. He was relentlessly targeted by Boston yet held up for the entire game. Garland was physical and aggressive against Jayson Tatum, forcing him to work for every bucket. Garland will never have an advantage in this matchup but he did more than enough to win the battle tonight.

Grade: A+

Jarrett Allen

8 points (4-6 shooting), 10 rebounds,

This remains a tough matchup for Allen. Boston’s ability to space the floor with five shooters makes it nearly impossible for Allen to play to his strengths. He’s constantly strained to protect the paint and stay within closing distance of Kristaps Porzinigis. This is a dilemma that no team in the NBA has been able to solve.

Allen did his best tonight, especially shining in the fourth quarter as Cleveland began trapping the ball and relying on Allen to cover ground in a scramble situation. Still, Porzingis made it impossible for Allen to have his usual impact as a rim protector — and likewise, the Celtics did a fine job of keeping Allen from scoring in the paint, on the other end.

Grade: D

Isaac Okoro

6 points (2-2 shooting), 2 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 blocks

Okoro has always had the task of doing just enough on offense to stay on the floor and take advantage of his defense. Tonight, he barely scraped by.

Okoro didn’t have a huge scoring impact, he only took two shots. But he canned a triple in each half, giving Kenny Atkinson enough reason to keep him on the floor. This was crucial as the Cavs used Okoro to switch with Garland and provide much-needed relief from Boston’s onslaught.

Then, with the game on the line, Okoro made a roll to the rim and dished to Mobley to seal the deal.

Grade: B-

Caris LeVert

13 points (6-11 shooting), 6 rebounds, 1 assist

LeVert showed why he’s so useful in this matchup. He gave them real size on the perimeter and was able to patch up some of the defensive gaps they had previously. LeVert played a role in holding Boston to 34% three-point shooting while chipping in 13 points off the bench.

Grade: B+

Sam Merrill

3 points (1-5 shooting), 2 assists

This has been a theme for Merrill. He’s having a hard time establishing himself in these games where his jumper isn’t falling. While he’s fought hard defensively — his lack of positional versatility makes him a target. More importantly, Merrill hasn’t shown any counter-openions offensively when the defense runs him off the line.

Grade: D

Georges Niang

13 points (4-6 shooting), 2 rebounds, 1 assist

Niang has had a rough week, receiving poor grades in each game and even flunking his most recent performance. But the Cavs don't win tonight without him. He poured in 11 points during the first half and helped defeat Boston’s second unit. His contributions off the bench were a game-changer, even if he cooled off in the second half.

Grade: B

Ty Jerome

6 points (1-4 shooting), 1 assist

There was no Jerome magic tonight. Not even a glimpse. His 11 minutes were a struggle and Kenny Atkinson could not trust him to play more than that. There’s no reason to believe his start to the season was a complete fluke but clearly, Jerome can not sustain the phenomenal shooting splits he enjoyed through 15 games.

He found a way to be impactful in previous games even when his shot wasn’t falling. We’ll look for Jerome to get back to that in the next game.

Grade: D-