Player Ratings: Cavs vs. Raptors – Ty Jerome can’t be stopped

The Cleveland Cavaliers put together 48 minutes of near perfection as they sent Toronto Raptors home for their 17th win of the season.

The ratings are based on our usual expectations for each player.

Donovan Mitchell

26 points (10-18 shots), 4 rebounds, 1 assist

Mitchell was in coastal mode for three quarters of an hour. He was mostly used as a decoy as the Raptors overloaded and worked to prevent him from establishing an offensive rhythm. Mitchell played it cool – waiting until the final period to make his presence known.

It was seven straight points from Mitchell to start the fourth quarter that blew this game open. The Cavs defense galvanized around his scoring burst, and as a result, they picked up a stress-free victory.

Grade: A

Shut up Jerome

26 points (9-14 shooting), 6 assists, 4 steals

Jerome is on fire to start the season. His unlimited range has made him a nightly hero, and tonight was no different as he scored 26+ points for the second straight time after previously never scoring more than 24 in a game in his entire career.

Jerome has found a home in Cleveland. He destroys other units with his shooting and playing. Most impressively, his active hands-on defense keeps him a constant threat to opposing ball handlers. Jerome’s four steals were huge in this win.

Grade: A+

Evan Mobley

14 points, 11 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 steal, 1 block

Mobley has taken the Scottie Barnes matchup personally. He denied him repeatedly in their first meeting of the season, and tonight Mobley once again had Barnes underwater until garbage time. It was another great defensive game in a season where Mobley’s offense has taken all the buzz. Don’t take it for granted.

Grade: A

Darius Garland

16 points (6-14 shooting), 6 assists, 3 rebounds

There’s only so much to go around when the entire starting lineup clicks like this. Garland took a back seat most of the night, playing within himself and creating plays for others. More was not needed. His ability to collapse a defense and score against the drop remains a highlight of his season despite Garland’s recent struggles against Boston.

Grade: A-

Jarrett Allen

23 points (10-14 shooting), 13 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal, 1 block

Do you want a monstrous defensive anchor that can run the floor and convert everything in the paint on the other end? If the answer is yes – then Allen would have done you proud tonight.

Allen’s role as the unsung hero makes Cleveland such a dominant team through 82 games. On any given night, he can dominate both the paint and make things a nightmare for his opponent. Allen was everywhere at the right times in this game.

Grade: A+

Isaac Okoro

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

I mentioned that Mitchell’s scoring burst in the fourth quarter galvanized Cleveland’s defense. Okoro was the primary engine in this run. He added frenetic energy on the perimeter, stopping ball handlers in their tracks or driving them into the two beasts in the paint.

Okoro’s defense on the ball has always been excellent. But in this game, he also knocked down a pair of threes and dished out four assists. This is everything you hope to see from Okoro when he’s in the starting lineup — even with six rebounds.

Grade: A+

Sam Merrill

3 points (1-6 shots), 4 rebounds, 3 assists

Merrill had several open attempts that would have blown the roof off the arena if they had gone down. Unfortunately, it just wasn’t his night.

I can’t give Merrill a bad grade though. His off-ball movement was effective in keeping the Raptors moving. He routinely made good cuts and used his gravity to generate three assists. Merrill also struggled on the defensive end, making it difficult for Toronto to target him.

Grade: B-

George Niang

2 points (1-13 shots), 4 rebounds, 1 assist

Yes… this was the only rough performance of the night. Niang led the team in field goal attempts through three quarters. The whole time he had only connected on a single shot.

I can’t say that Niang pushed – or even that he lacked much. It was a good process play from Niang that just didn’t result in anything tangible to feel good about. He has been good to start the year, but this was not his best showing.

Grade: D