Player Ratings: Cavs vs. Nets – Darius Garland and Evan Mobley lead the attack

Staying perfect is hard. The Cleveland Cavaliers almost learned that lesson after a disastrous third quarter against the Brooklyn Nets. But a resilient finish to the game ensures their record remains spotless.

The grades are based on our expectations of each of them.

Donovan Mitchell

22 points (5-12 shots), 1 rebound, 1 assist, 1 steal

Mitchell scored 15 points in the first quarter tonight before trailing his teammates for most of the game. His first scoring drive put the Cavs in the driver’s seat – but it was his willingness to play without the ball and screen for others that allowed Cleveland to win their 11th straight game. — Tony Pesta

Grade: B+

Evan Mobley

23 points (10-11 shots), 16 rebounds, 1 assist, 4 steals, 1 block

It didn’t take long for Mobley to make his presence felt in this game. He found Garland for a nice cut to the basket early in the first period and then shot a three-pointer from the top of the arc. This was a harbinger of what was to come. Mobley was assertive on both ends of the court and was their best player on a night when there was little else to do.

His aggressive play allowed the Cavs to finish with a small-ball unit that shouldn’t have worked. Mobley’s emphatic block on the final defensive possession summed up the evening perfectly.

Kenny Atkinson let Mobley spread his wings. It has given him the opportunity to continue to explore all aspects of his game and it continues to pay off. Mobley is still developing, but he’s a much different player than he was at this point last season. — Jackson Flickinger

Grade: A+

Darius Garland

20 points (8-11 shooting), 6 assists, 2 steals

Garland has matured. That much became clear in the fourth quarter tonight. Garland showed a poise and composure on the track that hasn’t always been noticeable in recent years. He was the closer and buried Brooklyn with countless shots and assists in the final minutes. This is the best start to the season Garland has ever had – and he’s no exception for this red-hot Cavalier team. — TP

Grade: A+

Jarrett Allen

4 points (1-6 shooting), 3 rebounds, 1 steal, 1 block

This was an unusually bad game for Allen. He found it difficult to find a rhythm early on. At the end of the third quarter he tried to break out of the crisis by exaggerating, but he didn’t help his team get back on track.

This resulted in him being benched for the entire fourth quarter as Atkinson opted to play with a small-ball unit down the stretch. — JF

Grade: F

Isaac Okoro

3 points (1-5 shooting), 1 rebound, 1 assist

For Okoro, stringing together effective offensive plays has been a problem throughout his career. He failed to repeat the 16-point win from the previous evening against the Warriors.

Okoro was still effective defensively despite Brooklyn’s narrow wins, but after last night’s offensive performance, you can’t help but be disappointed. — JF

Grade: D-

Caris LeVert

12 points (6-11 shooting), 6 assists, 2 rebounds, 1 steal, 2 blocks

LeVert’s transformation is one of the most unexpected subplots this season. His constant energy away from offense and defense has made him a completely different player than what we’ve seen in Cleveland over the past few seasons. This even allowed him to finish the game with four in their small-ball lineup.

LeVert didn’t have impressive numbers tonight, but he continues to have an incredible impact on this team. — JF

Grade: A

Sam Merrill

6 points (2-4 shots), 2 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal

There was nothing special for Merrill tonight one way or another. He shot two three-pointers and gave the offense the usual distance. It wasn’t his best defensive game, although he held his own a few times when the Nets tried to bully him. I feel like the grade here is pretty standard. — TP

Grade: B-

Dean Wade

3 points (1-4 shooting), 4 rebounds, 1 assist

Wade struggled to find his rhythm in his first two games since returning from illness. He appeared to be out of the offensive flow and was unable to make an impact on that end.

The Cavs defense is so devastating when either Wade or Okoro are on the ground. In order for this to succeed, they also have to be effective offensively. It wasn’t like that that evening either. — JF

Grade: D-

Georges Niang

8 points (4-6 shots), 2 rebounds, 1 assist

Niang did his best Jarrett Allen impression for a while, hanging around the edge and converting numerous dump-off passes in a lineup where Cleveland played small but didn’t have a big one on the floor. He was positive most of the night, even if he had to be pulled off the floor at the end to make room for Mobley. — TP

Grade: B+

Ty Jerome

4 points (2-4 shots), 5 assists, 2 steals

This wasn’t Jerome’s flashiest game in terms of box score abundance. But he shifted the momentum of that game behind his energy in the fourth quarter. Jerome was a defensive dog who thrilled the Cleveland crowd with fast-paced plays. With his game structure, he got them out of the offensive crisis and scored all four points in the final minutes.

In other words, Jerome continues to dominate the summer months. — TP

Grade: A+