Harden and Mitchell’s Explosive Duel Seals Cavs’ Surprising Triumph Over Knicks – Who Stole the Show?

What a night for the Cleveland Cavaliers, who delivered a commanding 109-94 victory against the New York Knicks, showing grit and finesse in equal parts. Each player stepped onto the court with clear intentions, and we’ve sized up their performances against the usual yardstick of expectations. From Donovan Mitchell’s aggressive trips to the free throw line to Dean Wade’s sharpshooting spree, this game had plenty of moments worth dissecting and celebrating. It’s not just a win; it’s a statement—one that’s ripe for breaking down, play by play, grade by grade. Ready to dive into who rose and who stumbled? LEARN MORE

The Cleveland Cavaliers took down the New York Knicks 109-94.

All grades are based on our usual expectations for each player.

Donovan Mitchell

20 points, 4 assists, 5 rebounds, 3 steals, 3 turnovers

Mitchell didn’t score the ball efficiently, but he looked much more comfortable against the Knicks than he did in OKC. Not having Lu Dort attached to you goes a long way. This was a quality offensive performance from Mitchell, carried on his ability to get to the free throw line 13 times.

Grade: B+

James Harden

20 points, 4 assists, 2 rebounds, 3 turnovers

We’ve seen a few classic Harden-blemishes show themselves over his last two games. Iffy point-of-attack defense, 3 turnovers, and an 8-18 shooting night.

However, the box score looks worse than it felt. Harden took quality shots, kept Cleveland’s offense grooving, and probably should have finished with more assists than he had.

Also, Harden should have been rewarded with a few more free throws in this one. I don’t know why he isn’t getting the same calls he has been receiving for the previous decade.

Grade: B

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Jarrett Allen

19 points, 10 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, 1 block

Allen was more involved tonight than he was in OKC. The Cavaliers had an easier time penetrating New York’s defense, and that inherently benefits Allen. He did a great job scoring at the rim, and outside of a few conceded rebounds, Allen held his own as Cleveland’s defensive anchor.

Grade: A-

Evan Mobley

12 points, 7 rebounds, 1 assist

Mobley is clearly still working his way back from his calf injury and searching for his place among the Cavaliers’ newest additions. He felt disjoined in this one, never really fitting in with what the team was doing on offense. It wasn’t until the fourth quarter that Mobley flashed some of the on-ball creation we’ve been wanting to see. He’s always seemed to enjoy the Karl-Anthony Towns matchup.

Grade: C+

Jaylon Tyson

12 points, 8 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal, 1 block

Kenny Atkinson said before the game that Tyson will have to “earn” his minutes moving forward. His first half stint tonight included three personal fouls in 12 minutes. The second half was much better, and the fourth quarter was a strength. His efforts on the glass helped Cleveland win the rebounding battle before garbage time.

Still, Tyson is currently navigating his way through a weird stretch. It will be interesting to watch moving forward.

Grade: B+

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Keon Ellis

4 points, 1 assist

This seems like it should be a good matchup for Ellis. But he wasn’t very effective tonight. That’s bound to happen every now and again.

Grade: C

Dennis Schroder

3 points, 5 assists, 1 rebound, 2 steals

Schroder is meshing nicely with Cleveland’s bench. He’s done a fine job running the offense as a backup point guard and threw some sneaky passes tonight. I thought his shot selection was mostly fine, but I will have to ding him half a grade for 1-6 shooting.

Grade: B–

Sam Merrill

0 points, 1 rebound, 1 assist

We’ve seen some erratic shooting performances from Merrill recently. He’s either going full inferno or coming up empty on everything. Either way, he still brings off-ball gravity and defensive grit that keep him in the rotation. Merrill shot 0-4 from deep tonight but was a plus-13.

Grade: D+

Dean Wade

11 points, 8 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 steals

Wade remained in the starting lineup as Cleveland looked to match New York’s size on the wings. He smoked his first layup attempt, but then drilled three consecutive three-pointers to help the Cavs build an early lead.

Grade: A+