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

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.

Player of the game

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…