Player Grades: Cavs vs Knicks – Donovan Mitchell drops 37 points in loss

CLEVELAND, OHIO - NOVEMBER 07: Donovan Mitchell #45 of the Cleveland Cavaliers reacts during the second quarter against the New York Knicks at Rocket Arena on November 07, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images) | Getty Images

The Cleveland Cavaliers fell 109-97 to the New York Knicks on the second night of a back-to-back.

Grades are based on our usual expectations for each player.

Donovan Mitchell

37 points, 4 assists, 4 rebounds

Mitchell looks like he’s finding the right balance between scoring and passing through the last two games. He’s been aggressive first, allowing his playmaking to come as a result of the defense overreacting to his gravity. That’s led to some efficient games passing the ball, but we were all waiting for Mitchell to have a scorching hot game shooting it.

It finally happened.

Mitchell went off for a season-high 37 points, and he was the catalyst behind Cleveland’s momentary comeback in the fourth quarter. Mitchell was one of the only Cavaliers who had a pulse on offense tonight.

Grade: A–

Evan Mobley

12 points, 9 rebounds, 5 assists, 3 turnovers

Mobley was fantastic last night against the Philadelphia 76ers. Tonight? He was totally on his back foot.

Karl-Anthony Towns beat Mobley to the punch more often than not. It was an uber-aggressive approach from KAT that reminded you why the Cavs are still at their best when there are two defensive anchors on the floor.

We know that Mobley can play better than this, and his grade will reflect that.

Grade: D+

James Harden

7 points, 5 assists, 2 rebounds

Last year’s playoffs showed that this was a bad matchup for Harden, and tonight proved that it wasn’t just because Harden was gassed. The Knicks are too fast and incorporate too much off-ball movement for Harden to keep up defensively. The Cavs will be in trouble if they draw New York again in April or May.

Grade: F

Meleek Thomas

9 points, 4 rebounds

The Cavs have leaned heavily on this 20-year-old rookie to give them minutes. He’s had moments where it all clicks effortlessly into place. And other times, he looks off Mitchell and attempts a wild layup that goes the other way in transition.

Thomas shot 3-10 from the floor and looked like a rookie tonight. Overall, he has been fantastic given the circumstances. He’s quickly lapped his competition as the best backup guard option on Cleveland’s roster. But moments like this are inevitable.

Grade: D+

Peyton Watson

12 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists

The Cavs need Watson to start shooting the rock better than he has. Watson was 1-of-5 from downtown tonight, and the Knicks had no interest in defending him. For all the potential benefits Watson can bring to this team — it will all feel moot if he can’t provide enough spacing to make defenses care about him.

Grade: C-

Mario Hezonja

0 points, 5 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal

There can be a trickle-down effect in games where the stars struggle to set the tone. Hezonja never found his rhythym in this game, shooting 0-of-6 from the floor. And while he’s the only one who can take accountability for that, I think he was more a victim of this team struggling to find its stride as a whole.

Grade: F

Thomas Bryant

5 points, 3 rebounds, 1 assist

I owe Bryant an apology for not grading him last game. It was an honest mistake, and he delivered quality minutes in Cleveland’s win over the 76ers.

It brings me no joy to report that he struggled in this matchup. Bryant has become a necessity with Allen on the sidelines, but his lack of mobility made it hard to keep him on the floor.

Grade: D+

Tyrese Proctor

7 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists

Proctor has given good minutes during this stretch of poor injury luck for the Cavs. He’s showing he’s a capable shooter and someone who can occasionally make things happen with the ball in his hands, but he still needs some fine-tuning on both ends of the court to be a player who is in the nightly rotation once everything settles.

Grade: C+

Riley Minix

8 points, 3 rebounds

The Cavs waived Minix just days ago, before bringing him back only a few hours before tip-off. He responded with the best game of his young career, nailing his first three shots and ending with 8 points.

Maybe he just needed a factory reset.

Grade: A-