Tony PestaThu, January 15, 2026 at 2:54 AM UTC·3 min readThe Cleveland Cavaliers gave the Philadelphia 76ers a knockout punch, courtesy of Donovan Mitchell.
All grades are based on our usual expectations for each player.
Donovan Mitchell
35 points, 9 assists, 7 rebounds
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementMitchell had a season-high 46 points against the 76ers in their first matchup of the season. This wasn’t quite as explosive, but it was still another dazzling display of scoring from Mitchell. His shot-making kept the Cavs comfortably in front throughout the second half.
Grade: A+
Darius Garland
20 points, 7 assists, 3 rebounds
Garland left this game after suffering a right foot injury in the third quarter. Before that, Garland was dicing up Philly’s defense and was the catalyst for Cleveland’s strong start to the game.
Grade: A+
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Evan Mobley
17 points, 13 rebounds, 6 assists, 4 blocks
Oh yeah, Mobley is back.
He’s been playing like an All-NBA player again this week (outside of that ugly game against the Jazz). Mobley was dominant tonight, serving as the enforcer on both ends of the floor.
Grade: A+
Sam Merrill
3 points, 3 rebounds
Merrill left this game early with a hand injury. Get well soon, sniper.
Grade: Incomplete
Craig Porter Jr.
1 point, 4 assists, 4 rebounds
Porter is settling into a consistent role. He doesn’t score much, or at all sometimes, but he’ll rebound, defend, and throw interior passes to the bigs. That’s been good enough.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementGrade: B+
De’Andre Hunter
17 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists
That’s more like it. Hunter opened tonight shooting 3-4 from the field, and the rest of his game promptly fell into place. I don’t love that Hunter needs to see the ball go in the hoop for him to be engaged as a defender and off-ball mover. But hey, I’ll take what I can get. This was the best game Hunter has played in weeks.
Grade: A-
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Jarrett Allen
10 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists
Box scores can be deceiving. Allen didn’t grab many rebounds, but he’s the primary reason Joel Embiid didn’t, either (just 4 boards for Embiid). Allen spent most of this game wrestling a bear in the paint — and his only job was to keep Embiid from getting loose. Mission accomplished.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementGrade: A-
Jaylon Tyson
12 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists
Tyson was re-inserted into the starting lineup tonight. A move that only makes sense. Tyson has consistently played harder than anyone on the roster and has developed into a capable three-point shooter.
This nasty behind-the-back dribble in transition is worth an extra half grade.
Grade: A-
Nae’Qwan Tomlin
0 points, 2 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 block, 1 steal
Tomlin is turning into a menace. His uber-aggressive approach to defense might lead to fouls. But the more you foul, the more you ultimately get away with. Tomlin’s is a certified chaos creator — and the Cavs are using him to disrupt opponents on a nightly basis.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementGrade: A–
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