Player Grades: Cavs vs. Thunder
Jarrett Allen dominance helps Cavaliers defeat Thunder 129-122
The Cleveland Cavaliers have won the highly anticipated matchup with the Oklahoma City Thunder. After a tight contest, the Cavaliers outmuscled the league’s premier defensive team 129-122.
Grades are based on our usual expectations for each player.
Donovan Mitchell
11 points (3-16 shooting), 4 assists, 6 rebounds
It’s hard to be critical of Mitchell when he has carried the team many times before. However, this game was UGLY. Mitchell never really got it going at any point of this game scoring-wise. The shots felt forced and out of sync with the rest of the team. Mitchell is still a player that requires attention from opposing defenses. This allowed Mitchell to still facilitate at an elite and opened great looks for others on the floor. This alone salvages what was a disastrous night for the All-NBA guard.
Grade: C-
Evan Mobley
21 points (8-13 shooting), 10 rebounds, 7 assists
Mobley started this game very awkwardly as the Thunder were daring him to show the newer skills in his toolbox. They dared him to bring the ball up, challenge defenders above the perimeter, and take open threes. None of those options were proving fruitful for the rising star. While in prior seasons Mobley would have turtled and become invisible, instead Mobley showed his growth.
Mobley switched gears and attacked the rim constantly. Choosing to be a back-to-the-basket player choosing his mismatches and winning battles down low. Mobley remained a great passer, but instead of the looks coming off of the dribble, they came from a back-to-the-basket approach. Performances like this are exciting as they show how far Mobley has come.
Grade: A
Darius Garland
18 points (7-15 shooting), 7 assists
Garland was the most comfortable I have seen him in a high-stakes game. While it felt like most of the Cavaliers players took time to get in the rhythm and lose the jitters, Garland was immediately in the groove.
His ability to find the bigs and be that connective tissue was instrumental to the Cavaliers' offense getting going without a good game from Mitchell. Garland finished with timely baskets and continues to show why he leads the league in clutch field goal percentage.
Grade: A
Jarrett Allen
25 points (9-11 shooting), 9 rebounds, 6 assists
JARRETT ALLEN. Wow, what a game from the Cavs’ big man. Allen has been always listed as the fourth player in the Cavaliers’ “core four” group. Well, maybe he shouldn’t be as much of an afterthought when tiering the stars. Allen flat-out bullied the Thunder on Wednesday night. Allen was attacking the rim with ease and ferocity that the Thunder were not able to match.
Whether attacking off the roll, cleaning up off the glass, or attacking mismatches, Allen was establishing his presence and will on the floor. This is the most complete Allen game I can remember in some time if not his best game as a Cavalier. If you haven’t already feel free to send Jarrett Allen a belated Christmas gift.
Grade: A++
Dean Wade
11 points (4-5 shooting), 3 rebounds, 1 assist
Dean Wade put out another solid performance against the Thunder, showing an ability to switch against all players on the floor. Wade was also shooting with confidence against the Thunder.
A Wade game in which he is willing to let the threes fly is one that usually results in positive outcomes. While this isn’t a Wade game we will remember at the end of the season, it is one where we are reminded of the Swiss-army level of utility Wade provides this Cavs’ team.
Grade: B+
Max Strus
17 points (6-7 shooting), 5 assists, 3 rebounds
If there was ever a game that the Strus struggles would pay off, oh boy this was it. Strus came out with confidence despite his poor shooting coming into this game. The guy is unfazed at all times and willing to let it fly whenever. His return hasn’t been the prettiest, yet against the Thunder, Strus showed the national stage that he can catch fire and disrupt opposing defenses with his off-ball movement, shot-making, and finding the bigs off rolls.
Grade: A
Caris LeVert
8 points (3-9 shooting), 2 rebounds, 2 assists
Good lord, that LeVert game was a rollercoaster that I would like to pass on whenever possible. There was a whole LeVert experience within that performance. Whether it was LeVert hijacking possessions by forgetting there were four other teammates on the floor or pulling up on ill-advised mid-range jumpers. Everything was on the table for this LeVert game, including on a random stretch in the third quarter where he caught fire from the corner. A game that just leaves you shrugging.
Grade: C-
Georges Niang
3 points (1-5 shooting), 2 assists, 2 rebounds
Niang athletically was in a tough position against a fast, young, and athletic Thunder defense. He had trouble keeping up on the defensive end and was not converting on the limited looks that were available. It was not a surprise that this was Niang’s outcome, therefore the grade was not too low.
Grade: C-
Ty Jerome
15 points (6-7 shooting), 1 assists, 2 rebounds
Ty Jerome has heard chatter of how his 2024 performances were a fluke. Hope you started writing your apology letters to the MVP of Months that end in ‘ber’.
Jerome provided an essential scoring bump in the absence of the consistent scoring we got used to between Mitchell and LeVert. The floaters were back, the misdirections, the swagger, and it was glorious.
Grade: A
Isaac Okoro
0 points (0-2 shooting), 1 assist, 1 rebound
Okoro was coming off the injury and was essentially a non-factor in this game. While it would have been nice for him to be another elite defender to throw at Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the context of his return makes it hard to be harsh on his minutes.