There are nights when one star takes over. And then there are nights like this, when everyone eats.
The Cleveland Cavaliers didn’t just beat the Brooklyn Nets; they overwhelmed them. From the opening stretch, Cleveland dictated the tone defensively, owned the glass, and turned nearly every Nets mistake into easy points the other way. By halftime, the gap already felt significant. By the fourth quarter, it was a runaway.
Six straight wins now, and this one might’ve been the most complete of the bunch.
Donovan Mitchell: A
Game Stats: 17 PTS, 3 REB, 5 AST, 7-12 FG, 2-4 3-PT FG, 1-1 FT, 21 MIN
Mitchell was surgical. He attacked mismatches, rose up confidently from deep, and made quick reads whenever Brooklyn sent help. The plus-37 in just 21 minutes tells the story – every time he was on the floor, the Cavs surged. Efficient scoring paired with smart playmaking made this one of his cleaner outings of the season.
James Harden: A
Game Stats: 16 PTS, 5 REB, 9 AST, 3 STL, 2 TOV, 6-8 FG, 3-5 3-PT FG, 1-2 FT, 28 MIN
This was one of the best versions of Harden. He made the game look easy, was able to dissect the defense, made a few step-back 3s because of sagging defenders, and was also able to locate cutters slipping behind the Nets’ defense. His nine assists only scratch the surface of his control over the game at this level. He controlled the pace and simply never forced anything.
Jarrett Allen: A
Game Stats: 15 PTS, 10 REB, 1 AST, 1 STL, 2 BLK, 5-8 FG, 0-1 3-PT FG, 5-10 FT, 24 MIN
Allen dominated the game and did it without a lot of noise. He was solid defensively, rebounding the ball, and adjusting his shots at the rim. He was a little less than spry at the free-throw line, but Allen controlled the paint, both offensively and defensively. The Nets just didn’t have a solid answer for where to put him.
Dean Wade: A
Game Stats: 11 PTS, 5 REB, 4-4 FG, 3-3 3-PT FG, 16 MIN
Wade entered with plenty of space and wasted no time displaying his shooting ability. Four shot attempts, and four shot makes – all great offense. He had no need to force shots, and great offensive flow created a good shooting opportunity. His three early three-point shooters out of the gate spread the defense and allowed for a lot of scoring before the game tightened up.
Evan Mobley: A-
Game Stats: 10 PTS, 9 REB, 2 AST, 1 BLK, 2 TOV, 5-9 FG, 0-1 3-PT FG, 19 MIN
Mobley’s mark from the game didn’t need to run to a specific score. He played both ends of the court and made his teammates look good. He played talking ball and switched onto guards to help jump Cleveland in the rebounding column. He was super active out there and made life miserable for the baseline driver from the other side. Efficient, steady, and impactful.
Dennis Schroder: A-
Game Stats: 12 PTS, 3 REB, 3 AST, 1 STL, 1 TOV, 4-8 FG, 1-1 3-PT FG, 3-4 FT, 20 MIN
Speed was what Dennis brought to the game on the bench, and it didn’t take long to arrive. He became the point of the spear on offense and maintained good flow and pace on offense while the starters rested. His ability to create offensive separation kept the defense on the other side of the ball scrambling.
Jaylon Tyson: B+
Game Stats: 11 PTS, 5 REB, 2 AST, 1 BLK, 1 TOV, 4-10 FG, 1-4 3-PT FG, 2-2 FT, 23 MIN
Tyson’s energy stood out. He attacked the rim, battled for rebounds, and stayed active defensively. Not every jumper fell, but his effort never dipped – and that’s what Cleveland needed from its second unit.
Keon Ellis: B
Game Stats: 7 PTS, 3 REB, 1 STL, 3 BLK, 3-6 FG, 1-4 3-PT FG, 20 MIN
Ellis made his presence felt defensively. Three blocks from the guard spot energized the bench and fueled transition chances. He played with confidence and gave Cleveland another layer of defensive intensity.
Tyrese Proctor: C+
Game Stats: 6 PTS, 2 REB, 1 STL, 1 TOV, 3-6 FG, 0-3 3-PT FG, 10 MIN
Proctor attacked the rim well and stayed poised in his minutes. The three-point shot didn’t drop, but his willingness to be aggressive stood out late in the game.
Larry Nance Jr.: C+
Game Stats: 5 REB, 1 TOV, 0-3 FG, 0-2 3-PT FG, 12 MIN
The shot didn’t fall, but Nance still contributed on the glass and rotated well defensively. His value came more from positioning and communication than scoring in this one.
Tristan Enaruna: C+
Game Stats: 2 PTS, 1 REB, 1 TOV, 1-3 FG, 0-1 3-PT FG, 0-1 FT, 9 MIN
Limited offensive impact, though he stayed within the flow and didn’t try to do too much. A quiet stretch in a game that was already well in hand.
Sam Merrill: C+
Game Stats: 3 PTS, 3 REB, 3 AST, 1-4 FG, 1-4 3-PT FG, 22 MIN
Merrill had a poor shooting game, but he was aggressive enough to add to the game as a secondary playmaker. His extra passes and floor spacing still helped in a game like this.
Craig Porter Jr.: C
Game Stats: 2 PTS, 2 REB, 2 AST, 2 TOV, 1-5 FG, 0-2 3-PT FG, 17 MIN
Porter had some bright moments as a facilitator, but struggled to find a rhythm in scoring. There were a couple of turnovers in traffic, but given the score, the overall impact was minimal.
