Cavs: Report Card for Cleveland’s West Coast road trip

Darius Garland: B

Darius Garland returned from injury just in time for this road trip and played well. He averaged 13.5 points for the four games out west and added an impressive 7.25 assists a game as well. He seems to be becoming more and more comfortable in his distribution of the ball. He wasn’t trying to do too much either offensively and force shots. He put up 14 shots in the loss to the Los Angeles Lakers and that was the most he’d put up while on the road.

Lauri Markkanen:  D

With this new big-three lineup for the Cavaliers, Lauri Markkanen has primarily been playing at the three spot and it seems like he’s struggling and not quite comfortable in this new spot for him. He had a season-best 17 points in the loss to the Los Angeles Lakers. He had only seven points in the win against the Los Angeles Clippers. He helped the team out in that game with grabbing nine boards. The problem I see right now with Markkanen is that he was brought here to shoot the ball and especially three-pointers and he’s not doing well in that department at the moment.

The most shots he’s taken in that stretch of four games was 14 in the loss to the Lakers. He’s a combined 7-for-24 on the three-point shots on this road trip. That’s a measly 29% and

Jarrett Allen: D

In the first game of the road trip at the Denver Nuggets Jarrett Allen had 21 points to go along with 16 boards. A nice start to the trip. Maybe it was the mile-high altitude because since then Allen has been terrible.  He has scored four, six and four points again in the three follow-up games. He’s averaged eight boards in those games as well, but he was a double-digit scoring machine in his first four games of the season. His stat lines have fallen off the cliff. Why?

He’s not been getting back on transition defense either very well. He also needs to get stronger and box-out better on the defensive end of the floor and help the Cavs out by not giving their opponents more than one look at the basket.

Evan Mobley: B+

Evan Mobley would have had an A for the week if not for the two points he scored in the game against the Suns, but for a spanking-new rookie to have the week he had was very impressive. He had a career-best 23 points in the loss to the Lakers. He added six boards, three assists and two blocked shots. In the first two games of the trip he added 10 points and 12 points. He added 10 boards in the win against the Clippers.

It’s the eye test for me and all the the little things that are impressing. He altered at least six shots in that game against the Lakers. His footwork and quickness on defense have been so good for a young player just entering the NBA. Where this goes for him is only up. He’s been a welcome addition to the team.