The Cleveland Cavaliers recorded a Cavalanche for the ages when they hit a franchise record 11 three-pointers all in the second quarter. Yet somehow, this game was in jeopardy down the stretch. Thank the basketball gods for Donovan Mitchell.

Grades are based on our usual expectations for each player.

Donovan Mitchell

30 points (10-21 shooting), 6 rebounds, 6 assists, 1 steal

The Cavs can thank Mitchell for this one. Once Miami rallied back to pull within single digits, it was Mitchell who went full inferno to outmatch the Heat. Mitchell buried dagger after dagger, scoring more than half his points in the final quarter of the game.

Mitchell’s dynamic scoring has always elevated the Cavs. He’s a legit offensive superstar who can carry them when the going gets tough. His seven three-pointers put the Cavs in a position to close the deal even after squandering a big lead.

Grade: A+

Ty Jerome

6 points (2-8 shooting), 3 rebounds, 1 steal, 1 turnover

Jerome was otherworldly in his first playoff game. His second? Not so much.

Miami was aggressive in limiting Jerome’s attempts. They swarmed him on the ball and surprised him with a handful of traps that led to a crucial turnover in the fourth quarter. Jerome wasn’t nearly as efficient or potent as a scorer in this game.

That said, Jerome dropped a dime from half court that warrants at least a marginal boost to his grade.

Grade: C-

Darius Garland

21 points (6-14 shooting), 9 assists, 2 rebounds, 1 turnover

Garland opened this game on a heater. He sparked a run behind his shot-making after Cleveland started slow offensively. His early production in the first half was a huge reason the Cavs built a cushion.

The Heat made sure to target Garland as much as possible on defense. He more than held his own in Game 1. Tonight was less successful. Miami continued to put points on the board by hunting Garland 1-on-1. We’ll be keeping an eye on this as the playoffs continue.

Grade: B+

Jarrett Allen

9 points (3-5 shooting), 8 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, 1 block

Miami doesn’t seem like they are going to give Allen much daylight in this series. They’ve stayed home and kept Bam Adebayo or Kel’el Ware within range of Allen at all times to avoid giving easy opportunities to the big man.

Allen hasn’t let this bother him. He’s stayed physical on both ends of the floor and is playing at a high energy level. Allen isn’t putting up crazy numbers but he’s still impactful. The Cavs clearly felt his absence whenever he or Mobley wasn’t on the floor.

That said, Allen’s performance tonight was not as resounding as Game 1.

Grade: B

Evan Mobley

20 points (7-10 shooting), 6 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal

Mobley was a tad disappointing in Game 1. He responded with a huge showing in the first three quarters of Game 2 before disappearing from the offense in the closing quarter. This is a frustrating trend that has existed since the regular season.

Nonetheless, Mobley was great tonight. He buried three three-pointers and had multiple sequences where he drove to the basket for a dunk. We are still waiting to see a little bit more from Mobley but this was a step forward.

Grade: A-

Sam Merrill

6 points (2-4 shooting), 4 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal

Tyler Herro repeatedly found himself going against Merrill in this game. And for most of the night, Merrill was breaking even. That’s a win for Cleveland.

His defense wasn’t as impressive as Game 1. Miami finally caught Merrill on a few switches this time around. Still, he’s holding his own. That’s enough to keep him on the floor.

Merrill hasn’t gotten himself free for a bunch of three-point attempts in this series. He’s attempted just eight in over 40 minutes. That’s partly because Miami is making sure not to leave him open. His value as a floor-spacer speaks for itself. But the Cavs would love to get him going at some point in this series.

Grade: B+

Max Strus

14 points (4-8 shooting), 6 assists, 1 rebound, 2 steals

Strus hit 4-of-8 three-point attempts tonight. His occasional outbursts from deep are always a good sign that Cleveland’s offense is flowing smoothly. He didn’t carry his scoring into the second half, but Strus did get himself to the free throw line at a critical juncture to give Cleveland another two points.

The Cavs will need Strus to grab a few rebounds, though. They were outrebounded 49-39 and Strus only added one rebound to that battle.

Grade: B+

Isaac Okoro

3 points (1-2 shooting), 1 rebound, 1 steal, 10 minutes

Okoro hit a three-pointer in this game. That’s a sign of growth from the last game, when he went 0-4. Unfortunately, Okoro wasn’t effective at elevating Cleveland’s defense and his lack of offensive contributions were too much to keep him on the floor.

Grade: D-

De’Andre Hunter

12 points (4-10 shooting), 3 rebounds, 1 assist, 23 minutes

Hunter scored the ball efficiently in the first half. His fit in Cleveland looks great when he’s knocking down three-pointers like this. But the warts are still there. A 6’8” wing should be able to grab more than three rebounds in 23 minutes. He also fell asleep and left Davion Mitchell wide open for a three during Miami’s late surge.

There needs to be an improved attention to detail for Hunter to be the missing piece Cleveland is hoping they found.

Grade: C-