Cleveland Cavaliers at Brooklyn Nets player grades: Alec Burks plays hero

Here are the player grades for the Cavs’ 99-97 win over the Nets. As always, be sure to share yours below.

Collin Sexton: C-

Sexton was not particularly good in this game; he finished 7-16 from the field and only had two assists. It also sucks that, for the second straight game, he was on the bench in crunch time with the game on the line.

George Hill: C

Hill was not sharp in this game, which is to be expected after he missed a big chunk of the season to date. His late turnover, in fact, was part of the reason why the Nets had a shot to win it at the buzzer. But he also definitely provides some stability that Sexton can’t at this point in his career.

Rodney Hood: D+

This was an absolutely brutal game for Hood, particularly on defense. He botched several defensive assignments, missed a key box out late in the game that gave the Nets a putback basket to tie it and just didn’t contribute much. His only saving grace was getting to the free throw line five times and making all five.

Cedi Osman: B-

Osman was a little bit better in this game, albeit with a few a mistakes and a few misses at the rim. But he did have seven rebounds, made four free throws and had a few nice finishes at the rim. He also defended well.

Tristan Thompson: A

Thompson remains the Cavs’ best player to date and posted a 19-point, 14-rebound performance against the Nets. He absolutely feasted against the Nets’ bigs and controlled the paint. His contest at the buzzer on Spencer Dinwiddie was key too.

Alec Burks: B+

Burks’ overall stat line — 5-13 from the field, 1-4 on three-pointers, 13 points and seven rebounds — isn’t all that great. But he came up big for the Cavs when Larry Drew entrusted him with the game on the line. He deserves all the credit in the world for that finish and getting the Cavs a win.

Larry Nance Jr.: A-

Nance may have had his best game of the season against the Nets. He protected the rim as well as he has at any point in the year, ran the floor well and even hit a corner three. The one knock on his night was him dribbling into a mid-range shot when he had a wide-open three in the second half.

Jordan Clarkson: B-

A 9-22 night, with a 1-4 mark from three, is not Clarkson’s most efficient night. But he made a ton of tough shots the Cavs absolutely needed him to make. Plus, he had 11 rebounds — a new career-high and his best game since the 2015-16 season when he was still a Laker.

Jalen Jones: Incomplete

Jones came in and filled in for four minutes in the first half. It’s entirely possible that this is the most he plays.