Donovan Mitchell scored 28 points and dished out eight assists and Jarrett Allen had 16 points and 11 rebounds as the Cleveland Cavaliers pulled away for a 146-134 victory over the visiting Minnesota Timberwolves on Saturday afternoon.
It was the fourth-most points scored by the Cavaliers in a regulation game and the second time they have had five players with at least 20 points. Cleveland first accomplished the feat on March 14, 1972, at the Baltimore Bullets.
Evan Mobley scored 24 points, Jaylon Tyson netted 23, Darius Garland had 22 and Sam Merrill added 20, allowing the Cavaliers to split the rare interconference home-and-home set. Cleveland had lost two of its previous three, including a 131-122 defeat at Minnesota on Thursday.
Anthony Edwards and Naz Reid each scored 25 points for the Timberwolves, who had their four-game winning streak snapped. Julius Randle had 20 points and Rudy Gobert posted eight points, 12 rebounds and three blocked shots.
The Cavaliers, who trailed by 12 in the first half, took their largest lead midway through the fourth quarter at 133-115 on a Garland free throw. They used a 12-0 run in the third, fueled by two Merrill 3-pointers, to go in front for good at 82-73.
Reid made three 3-pointers and had 11 points in the second quarter as the Timberwolves seized a 47-35 lead before Cleveland sliced it to 65-63 at the half. Mitchell scored 14 and Allen had nine points and nine rebounds at the break for the Cavaliers.
There were 10 lead changes in the first quarter with Minnesota holding a 33-29 advantage, fueled by seven points from Randle. Tyson had eight points for Cleveland.
Cavaliers power forward Dean Wade missed his second straight game after bruising his left knee against the Detroit Pistons on Jan. 4. Merrill continues to play through left ankle and right hand pain.
The Timberwolves rested backup point guard Mike Conley, but will have him in uniform Sunday when they play their third game in four days, hosting the San Antonio Spurs.
Edwards (right foot soreness) and Randle (left thumb soreness) were both late-morning decisions to play. Randle, Gobert and Donte DiVincenzo have appeared in all 39 games.
–Field Level Media
