Donovan Mitchell scored 24 points to lead seven players in double figures and the visiting Cleveland Cavaliers cruised to a 148-114 win over the Washington Wizards on Friday in NBA Cup group play.
Darius Garland scored 20 points, and Evan Mobley (18 points and 10 rebounds) and Jarrett Allen (16 points and 14 rebounds) each recorded a double-double for Cleveland, which led by as many as 37 and won its third straight.
CJ McCollum led Washington with 25 points. Alex Sarr scored 20 points and Tre Johnson scored a career-high 18 points in the first start of his rookie season. Corey Kispert added 16 points for the Wizards, who fell to 1-8 with their seventh straight loss.
Cleveland set a season high for points scored and recorded its 13th consecutive win over Washington. The Cavaliers connected on 47.3% of their shots from the field and 44.4% (20 of 45) from 3-point range.
Tyrese Proctor scored a career-high 17 points off the bench for Cleveland, while Sam Merrill scored 14 and Jaylon Tyson chipped in 10.
The Cavaliers set the tone early by closing the first quarter on a 15-4 run to move ahead 39-26.
McCollum scored 12 points on four 3-pointers in the second quarter to keep Washington within striking distance, but the Wizards were unable to keep pace with the sharp-shooting Cavaliers.
Merrill and Garland had 14 points apiece in the first half for Cleveland, which took a 76-59 lead into intermission. The Cavaliers shot 57.8% from the field and 57.1% (8 of 14) from 3-point range for the half.
Mitchell took control after the break by scoring 15 of Cleveland’s first 19 points in the third quarter, including three 3-pointers.
Tyson drilled two straight treys to give the Cavaliers a commanding 106-78 lead with 2:59 left in the third quarter.
Washington struggled to contain the Cavaliers with top defensive players Kyshawn George (illness) and Bilal Coulibaly (leg) both on the sidelines.
Wizards forward Khris Middleton returned after missing two games due to injury and scored four points in 22 minutes.
–Field Level Media
