NBA

Winners and Losers: Cavs at 76ers – Jaylon Tyson has no fear and no ceiling

ballervisions 2026年1月17日

The Cleveland Cavaliers won an exciting game against the Philadelphia 76ers. They couldn’t have done it without Jaylon Tyson.

Let’s see who won and lost the night.

WINNER – Jaylon Tyson

I gave Tyson a rare A+++ in my player grades. If that tells you anything about the game he just played.

It was the kind of game that is hard to talk about. He was perfect, in every way. What else can you say?

Tyson had a career-high 39 points. It only took him 17 shots to get there, as he missed just 4 attempts all night. He was a fireball behind the arc (7-9 three-point shooting) and impressively attacking the basket.

He capped it off with an aggressive drive and dump pass to Evan Mobley for the game-winning bucket.

Tyson has shown no fear this season. And, he’s starting to show that his ceiling may be higher than anyone would have predicted. This was just the sixth time this season that Tyson has scored 19+ points on 70% or better shooting from the floor. That kind of performance from a second-year player who is also a plus defender is almost unheard of.

LOSER – Football Safety

It’s rare to blame the loss all on one factor. But hey, if the Cavs it was necessary lost tonight, they would have only one thing to blame.

Turnovers were a big problem in this game. That is to be expected if Darius Garland is not there to run the offense. Still, the Cavs went 12 plays into halftime following what should have been a win. The 76ers finished with 32 points on Cleveland, which should have been a mistake.

It takes tenacity and determination to win the game when you see the other team score more. Admittedly, Philly deserves credit for the stout defense they played. But then again, the Cavs had a lot of unforced errors in this one, too.

Victory can cure everything. Although I don’t think the Cavs should expect to get away with this much turnover again.

LOSER – Use of Evan Mobley

This may sound harsh, because I loved Mobley’s 17 points on Wednesday, but now I’m complaining about his 15 points tonight. Thing is, Mobley should have gotten more opportunities with Cleveland’s injuries, not fewer.

I understand that Philly dealt with Mobley. They know as we do that the Cavs needed him to score tonight with DG and Sam Merrill on the sidelines. Mobley has done a great job of learning to play defense and play the right offense this season.

Still, it should be easy to replicate the actions Mobley goes through in practice. Those side pick-and-rolls that lead to jump hooks should be available at any time. However, for some reason, the Cavs have always struggled to keep Mobley involved offensively.

Putting more on Mobley’s plate shouldn’t be difficult. He doesn’t have to be a Giannis-prototype or an elite floor spacer. Can he just get a few more possessions to score on the short-roll? That’s all I want.

I’m glad you got the rock with the game on the line. Even if it was a simple drive and drop pass. That’s the kind of action Mobley can manage. You have to get to the basket and find him, because you can trust him to stay hidden.

WINNER – Nae’Qwan Tomlin Dunks

Tomlin throws every ball like he’s trying to rip the rim off the backboard. Had he played 40 years ago, he probably would have been responsible for many suspensions and hoop repairs.

We love the intensity that Tomlin brings to the game. His brutal dunks are quick points. Also, because he moves so hard in the paint, defenders learn to get out of his way. Joel Embiid provided the opportunity to compete with Tomlin for some of his aggressive offense in the second half.

Nothing more to say about this. I just had to nod.