Cleveland Cavaliers vs. New Orleans Pelicans player grades

LeBron James: A

Three buckets down the stretch in the fourth quarter, with a dance in front of the Pelicans’ bench after the final shot? James was money on Friday night, finishing with 27 points, 11 assists and nine rebounds.

Rodney Hood: A

When Hood’s aggressive and playing with a score-first mindset, he becomes highly effective. Hood started off the night 4-of-4, finishing with 16 points and connecting on two of his three three-point attempts.

Jordan Clarkson: A

*Insert Jordan Clarkson’s three-point celebration here.* The ex-Laker was fantastic tonight, adding 23 points, hitting all of his four three-point attempts.

Jose Calderon: A-

The Cavaliers were sputtering in the second half, until Calderon came in for an injured George Hill. While he only played 14 minutes, Calderon finished with a plus-15 and made winning plays down the stretch to put the Cavaliers over the top.

Tristan Thompson: B+

Thompson’s activity on both ends of the floor was absolutely contagious. The Cavaliers’ big man finished with 14 boards, including six on the offensive glass, creating numerous extra possessions. The more playing time that Thompson gets, the better he gets out there.

George Hill: B

Hill had eight points in the third quarter before he left the game with a sprained left ankle. Obviously, the concern moving forward will be how long Hill is out of the starting lineup with his injury.

Larry Nance Jr.: B-

Thompson’s activity kept Nance Jr. sidelined for most of the second half. He finished with only 15 minutes, scoring five points and grabbing 5 boards. He’s had better games in a Cavaliers’ uniform.

Kevin Love: C+

While it was his first game back after the concussion, Kevin Love couldn’t seem to find the stroke from outside. He finished the game 0-of-6 from deep and only eight points. Foul trouble mixed with poor shooting wasn’t a good recipe for success tonight.

J.R. Smith: C

Looks like J.R. Smith should spend more time with therapy dogs. He seemed lethargic on both ends of the floor, even though he managed to hit two three-pointers.

Jeff Green: D+

Nights like this are the reason I want Jeff Green out of the rotation. While he had a great three-point play in the second half, it was the only basket he made all night. A team-worst minus-11 wasn’t helping the case either.