Here are the player grades from the Cleveland Cavaliers 129-123 win over the Brooklyn Nets:
George Hill: A
This George Hill could have helped a lot against the San Antonio Spurs. With the offense bogging down at times, Hill was far more assertive than we’ve seen recently, and exploded for 16 points in the third quarter.
Rodney Hood: A
Certified. Bucket. Getter.
Hood’s and-one in the game’s final minute gave the team the lead for good. If a whistle or two went his way, he would have had an even bigger impact in the minutes he received. With J.R. Smith struggling on offense, and not contributing elsewhere, you have to wonder when Tyronn Lue will make the switch to Hood.
LeBron James: A-
As I write this, I’m sure LeBron is once again ripping into the officials after another night of being targeted by physical defense. LeBron only shot three free throws on the night, and two came with an intentional foul in the game’s final minutes.
LeBron was horrible on defense, but with 31 points, 12 rebounds and 11 assists, it’s hard to get too upset at him.
Kyle Korver: A-
The Cavs found shots for Korver! It was a throwback to earlier this season for Korver, who scored 18 points on 11 shots, including 4-7 from deep.
Cedi Osman: B +
Osman has been struggling lately, but played a much more controlled game against the Nets. The effort and defense is always there, but he took much better shots tonight and finished with 3-4 shooting.
Larry Nance Jr.: B
This was probably Nance’s worst defensive game since joining the Cavs. He was good with a player infront of him, and made a few timely hustle plays. But he lost Jarrett Allen a few times off ball, especially in the fourth quarter. His overall impact was still strong, but we did get our first glimpse at some of the growth that is needed from him on the defensive end.
Jordan Clarkson: B
Clarkson always seems to come put with a solid box score, even if his play in-game can fluctuate. He hit some timely shots and did a better job taking care of the basketball, recording three assists without a turnover.
Tristan Thompson: B-
The good: Thompson was active and playing hard throughout the night. He pulled in 13 rebounds in just 22 minutes and played solid defense. The bad: When he got the ball, he would have been better off punting. His touch was poor from the floor (2-5), and even worse from the free throw line (1-5).
J.R. Smith: D
With better options available, how much longer of a leash will Smith get?