The Cleveland Cavaliers are a deep team, too deep for everyone to play in a playoff series. So what does each role guy need to prove from here on out to lock up a spot in a playoff rotation? Plus, how can James Harden & Evan Mobley maximize their potential as a pick & roll tandem? The Cleveland Cavaliers ended their short home stand with a 115-101 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers on Monday. James Harden took point against his former squad with 21 points to pair with five assists. Quentin Grimes countered with 17 points for Philly, who would ultimately fall in a regular-season sweep at the hands of the Cavs with the Cleveland win. These are our top takeaways from the bounce back victory. Three Cavaliers had five assists or more in the Monday victory. Donovan Mitchell connected on more routine passes on his way to six assists as he took up a starting role alongside Harden in the backcourt. Evan Mobley earned a team-leading three blocks, including two in the third quarter, to pair with plenty of dunks in the second half. While Sam Merrill had a slower shooting night, he would still earn five assists as he found Mobley and Dean Wade for a few close-up makes. Wade would earn his first double-double of the year as he tied some solid 3-point shooting with 10 boards, including four on offense. He fought hard for what would be his season-high in rebounds and two makes in the paint as he flew in for a pair of contested layups. ... but Keon Ellis Stole the Show While usually known for his defense, Keon Ellis turned heads for a different reason in the Monday win. He stole the show on offense with 19 points off the bench, his highest since he joined the Cavs via trade. He highlighted his night with a red-hot streak from the 3-point line that saw him hit four of his seven attempts, which broke a short cold streak from beyond the arc that lasted since a March win over the Brooklyn Nets. His defense still came up strong with a 2nd-quarter steal as he paired well with Jaylon Tyson, who would finish the night with 11 points and three made 3-pointers of his own. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

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