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Player Grades: Cleveland Cavaliers at Atlanta Hawks – Defense struggles

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Player Grades: Cleveland Cavaliers at Atlanta Hawks – Defense struggles


The Cleveland Cavaliers have officially hit their first slump of the season, dropping back-to-back games against the Atlanta Hawks. We can’t complain too much about a 17-3 start to the year but let’s get these gripes out of the way in today’s grades.

Grades are based on our usual expectations for each player.

Donovan Mitchell

12 points (5-23 shooting), 11 rebounds, 6 assists

You won’t win many games when your best player performs this poorly. Mitchell has more than proven himself as an otherworldly offensive talent — but even the best scorers are bound to have nights like this.

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Mitchell’s lack of scoring wouldn’t be as glaring if the defensive effort around him was better. The Cavs struggled to gain any momentum in this game due to their lack of focus defensively. Mitchell is not excused from this. So when you combine both ends of the floor, we have no choice but to give him his worst grade of the season.

Grade: D

Evan Mobley

24 points (10-17 shooting), 12 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal

Mobley is the answer if you’re searching for something to feel good about from these two losses. He put together two of the finest scoring games he’s had in a Cavalier uniform — aggressively attacking the Hawks in both games.

Mobley’s confidence continues to grow as the Cavs give him more opportunities to spread his wings. He had numerous attacks on the basket today where he put his head down and rammed through multiple defenders for a flush. Even in a loss, Mobley takes another step forward.

Grade: A

Darius Garland

29 points (11-19 shooting), 5 assists

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Aside from Mobley, Garland is the only other Cavalier who played heavy minutes and deserves a positive grade. His scoring kept them somewhat in striking distance despite the plethora of issues around him. Garland wasn’t exactly great on defense — but at least he gave them a dose of scoring to make up for it.

Garland’s 19 field goal attempts are worth noting. He recognized the situation and began unloading the clip in the second half. It wasn’t enough to overcome the deficit but Garland turned in a quality performance.

Grade: B+

Jarrett Allen

6 points (3-3 shooting), 5 rebounds

I could hardly tell Allen played 25 minutes tonight. That lets you know that something was wrong.

Part of the blame has to be placed on Allen. After all, it’s his responsibility to make his impact felt. But feeding the ball to a rolling seven-footer shouldn’t be that difficult. This is a common theme for the Cavs — whenever one of the guards is struggling — the big men suffer.

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Still, this was a bad game from Allen. He finished with just five rebounds and had a hard time covering the perimeter against Altanta’s spaced-out offense. Unlearning some of his defensive instincts to protect the paint (and instead rotating to the three-point line) is something Allen must continue to work on.

Grade: D

Isaac Okoro

2 points (0-5 shooting), 1 rebound, 1 assist, 1 steal

Okoro had all the right ideas tonight. The problem was executing any of them. His lack of assertiveness showed on multiple drives to the rim that ended in Okoro getting his weak shot attempt blocked. A more decisive attack would have resulted in free throws, at worst.

It’s unfortunate because Okoro was the Cavalier’s best option defensively. His ability to hold Trae Young on an island was sorely needed — but his lack of offensive juice made it impossible for Cleveland to keep him on the floor once the deficit reached double-digits.

Okoro’s process was fine. He made good reads and cut to the basket at the right time. Finishing plays is an ongoing battle.

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Grade: D-

Caris LeVert

8 points (2-5 shooting), 2 assists, 1 rebound

This was LeVert’s first NBA game in weeks. So, we can’t be too tough on him. It became clear almost immediately that LeVert would need a few minutes to shake the rust off himself.

His first half was not good. But LeVert did gain momentum in the second half with a pair of triples. His value as a switchable defender will go a long way toward patching up Cleveland’s recent defensive woes once LeVert gets his sea legs back. He just wasn’t there yet tonight.

Grade: C

Sam Merrill

7 points (2-7 shooting), 1 assist

Merrill’s value on any given night is self-explanatory. He’s an elite motion shooter who tries harder on defense than he gets credit for. But when the shot isn’t falling — and the defense isn’t holding up — Merrill becomes tough to watch.

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This game can’t be pinned on Merrill by any means. Still, he didn’t help swing things at any point.

Grade: D

Georges Niang

3 points (1-6 shooting), 2 assists, 1 rebound

Listen, anyone who has watched Niang over the last two seasons understands the type of game we just saw. He provided nothing on offense while being an easy target on defense. These are games where Niang’s potential three-point shooting is the only justification for his playing time. That potential didn’t materialize tonight and it resulted in one of his worst games to date.

Grade: F

Ty Jerome

7 points (3-7 shooting), 3 rebounds, 1 assist, 3 steals

The Typhoon is slowing down. Jerome hasn’t been a negative in either game but his scorching hot shooting has cooled off. This shouldn’t come as a surprise — Jerome was shooting unsustainably great splits from every spot on the floor.

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Still, Jerome was able to impact the game in the second half with multiple steals. He won’t always shoot the cover off the ball but Jerome has done enough to prove he can be a positive contributor, or at least break even, on nights when his jumper isn’t falling.

Grade: C

Jaylon Tyson

3 points (1-1 shooting), 3 rebounds

Tyson is still dipping his toes in offensively but he has dove headfirst defensively to be an instant-impact player. He played with more effort than most of the roster in both games and his nose for offensive rebounds is going to give him a skill to fall back on, even when his role as a scorer hasn’t been defined.

We won’t get carried away but Tyson has done a fine job in his limited playing time to start this season.

Grade: C+



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Atlanta, GA

Braves News: Breakout prospects, rain postponement, more

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Braves News: Breakout prospects, rain postponement, more


Well, Wednesday’s game was postponed due to rain in Washington D.C., seemingly a common occurrence for Atlanta. This will likely give the Braves one extra game with Ronald Acuna though, which is far from a bad thing. Speaking of Ronald, let’s talk about his return. It could seemingly be as soon as Friday, although that is far from a guarantee. He went 1-4 with a ringing double and a walk (with two strikeouts), while playing 9 innings in right field on Wednesday. That was the last big hurdle for an individual game. For me, I say bring him up Friday. If he’s good to play then I’d rather it be at the major league level, since he looks far from rusty, at least at the plate. The Braves’ corner outfield spots are not producing much at all, so he’ll be a huge upgrade immediately and even if you need to give him a few off-days for the first week or two that’s fine. We’ll see what the organization actually decides to do, but we are days away from the return of the Braves’ best player.

Braves News

Our prospect team took a look at 8 stock up Braves prospects so far this season, as it has been an optimistic year on the farm.

Wednesday’s game was postponed due to rain (what’s new in the nation’s capital) and will be made up as part of a doubleheader on September 16th.

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MLB News

Justin Verlander will miss at least his next two starts for the Giants, with a pectoral nerve issue.

Robert Hassell will make his MLB debut against Atlanta, as he comes up to replace an injured Dylan Crews for the Nationals.

Pirates’ Jared Jones will have season-ending elbow surgery after a strong rookie campaign in 2024. Infielder Emmanuel Valdez’ season is also over for Pittsburgh.



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Atlanta, GA

Public meeting scheduled for proposed LGBTQ+ center in Atlanta

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Public meeting scheduled for proposed LGBTQ+ center in Atlanta


Plans to establish a new LGBTQ+ community center in Atlanta are moving forward, with organizers now seeking in-person feedback from residents interested in helping shape the facility’s future.

PREVIOUS STORY: Proposed LGBTQ Center in Atlanta sparks community conversation

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What we know:

The Atlanta-Fulton County Recreation Authority, which is overseeing the project, has launched a year-long feasibility study to determine the center’s purpose and design. So far, hundreds of people have participated by completing an online survey offering their input.

The proposed center would serve as a dedicated space for supporting and uplifting members of the LGBTQ+ community in the Atlanta area.

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What’s next:

As part of the next phase, a public meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, June 3, from 6 to 8 p.m. at Truth Midtown. Attendees must RSVP in advance to participate in the session.

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Atlanta, GA

Atlanta News First at 7: South Carolina kidnapping suspect arrested in Rockdale County, Covington police say

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Atlanta News First at 7: South Carolina kidnapping suspect arrested in Rockdale County, Covington police say


ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) – A kidnapping that began in South Carolina ended in Rockdale County Saturday, according to Covington police.

>> TOP 7

Kidnapping suspect from South Carolina arrested in Rockdale County, Covington police say

Police said a woman approached a stranger at a rest stop in Morgan County Saturday, said she had been kidnapped and asked the person to call 911. The person called 911 and gave police a description of the vehicle.

Covington police later saw the car traveling on I-20 and attempted a traffic stop. The car drove away with the victim inside. It was stopped after a PIT maneuver in Rockdale County.

>> PREVIOUS COVERAGE

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Cobb high school teacher, wife in custody on abuse allegations

A former Cobb County high school teacher and his wife are in custody, accused of abusing their own kids.

One of the children said he was forced to live in a basement without heat or air conditioning.

Steven and Anissa Griffin have denied all allegations.

Strong storms expected tonight, tornado watch issued for far northwest Georgia counties

Severe storms are expected to move through north Georgia Tuesday night and into the metro through early Wednesday morning.

After 10 p.m., a line of storms will move into northwest Georgia. The line of storms will push through metro Atlanta around midnight.

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>> FULL FIRST ALERT FORECAST

Former Atlanta mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms announces 2026 Georgia governor run

Former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms wants to become the nation’s first Black female governor.

Not to mention the first-ever Atlanta mayor ever elected Georgia chief executive.

Weeks after hinting at a run for Georgia’s wide-open governorship in 2026, Bottoms made it official Tuesday morning. If successful, Bottoms would achieve what fellow Democrat Stacey Abrams tried and failed to do in Georgia’s last two gubernatorial elections.

>> FULL STORY

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Home Depot says it won’t raise prices due to tariffs

Home Depot doesn’t expect to raise prices because of tariffs, saying it has spent years diversifying the sources for the goods on its shelves.

>> FULL STORY

Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport prepares for busy Memorial Day travel

The world’s busiest airport is about to live up to its name.

Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport is expecting a record-breaking turnout during the Memorial Day travel period, which starts Wednesday and runs through next Wednesday, May 28.

Officials say they expect 2.6 million travelers to pass through this year.

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>> FULL STORY

Habitat for Humanity, Warrick Dunn surprises mom with new home

A Putnam County mother was surprised with a brand new home for her and 4-year-old daughter, with a special surprise from former Atlanta Falcon Warrick Dunn.

It was made possible by Habitat For Humanity.

>> FULL STORY

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