The Cleveland Cavaliers picked up an inspiring comeback win over the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Grades are based on our usual expectations for each player.
Player of the game
Donovan Mitchell
26 points, 5 rebounds, 7 assists
Mitchell is quietly off to a great start this season. His three-point shooting helped spur the Cavalanche that put Cleveland back in front after trailing by 10 points at halftime. In the fourth quarter and overtime, it was Mitchell who played closer — dueling with Anthony Edwards and coming up with the last laugh.
Grade: A-
Grades
James Harden
19 points, 9 assists, 5 rebounds, 1 turnover
Harden looked slow and ineffective in the first half. His usual floater was off the mark, and his three-pointer wasn’t falling.
It wasn’t until the third quarter that Harden finally looked like the player Cleveland traded for last season. A healthy dose of isolation scoring is what dug the Cavaliers out of their hole and back into this game.
Grade: B
Evan Mobley
18 points, 10 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 blocks
Mobley had trouble establishing himself in the paint against Minnesota’s size, but he unleashed multiple three-pointers in the second half to compensate. His clutch shooting from outside helped save the day.
Grade: B+
Peyton Watson
15 points,8 rebounds, 1 assist, 3 steals, 4 blocks
Watson had his most comfortable and effective game as a Cavalier to date. He was emboldened to handle the ball more throughout this game, and that seemingly helped him settle into a groove. Watson was everywhere defensively and a constant threat to break free in transition and attack the basket.
A special shout-out to his game-saving block on Edwards in crunch time.
Grade: A-
Jarrett Allen
10 points, 9 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal, 2 blocks
This was a subdued performance from Allen. He played his usual role for most, until watching the final battle take place from the bench as Kenny Atkinson opted for a one-big lineup to close.
Grade: B-
Jaylon Tyson
11 points, 5 assists, 4 rebounds
Tyson shot 0-of-4 from downtown but a perfect 5-for-5 inside the arc for an impactful night. He’s continued to flash the tertiary playmaking that Cleveland needs from its bench, dishing 5 assists in this game. Tyson finished as a team-high plus-15 despite not having a box score that jumps off the page.
Grade: B
Mario Hezonja
3 points, 3 rebounds, 1 assist
This was the first dud of Hezonja’s career in Cleveland. He wasn’t super effective at anything, and the box score reflects this.
Grade: D+
Sam Merrill
9 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal
Merrill brough this usual contributions, sprinting around the perimeter and making it so Minnesota’s defense couldn’t form a solid wall. It wasn’t his most electric three-point shooting performance, but it was enough.
Grade: C+
Meleek Thomas
16 points, 2 rebounds
Thomas was fantastic in his debut. He played with a sense of urgency that hasn’t been seen from any of the other Cavs’ guards attempting to win the backup point guard position.
Within just a few minutes, Thomas was nailing three-pointers and forcing turnovers. He was engaged on both ends of the floor and led the team in scoring at halftime.
Thomas carried his momentum into the second half, where a pair of three-pointers sent Cleveland’s crowd into a frenzy. It’s safe to say the rookie has already become a fan favorite. If it wasn’t for Mitchell’s late-game scoring, I would have given Thomas the Player of the Game.
Grade: A+