Darius Garland scored 25 points and Ty Jerome added 24 to lead the Cleveland Cavaliers to victory over the Charlotte Hornets on Sunday night.
The Cavaliers, now 15-0, had four players with over 20 points, setting a franchise record for their winning streak. They are only the fourth team in NBA history to start a season with 15 consecutive wins, with the Golden State Warriors having the best start of 24-0 in 2015-16. Evan Mobley contributed 23 points and 11 rebounds, while Jarrett Allen had 21 points and 15 rebounds, helping the Cavaliers shoot an impressive 57.1% from the field. The team performed well even without their top scorer Donovan Mitchell (24.6 points per game), who was given a rest day and replaced by Jerome in the starting lineup. LaMelo Ball put up 31 points and 12 assists for the Hornets, with Miles Bridges adding 19 points. However, their efforts were not enough to overcome the Cavaliers’ dominance. Cleveland’s Josh Green, Brandon Miller and Grant Williams all scored 15 points each.
In another game, the Minnesota Timberwolves secured a last-second win against the Phoenix Suns, with Julius Randle’s 3-pointer at the buzzer sealing the victory. Devin Booker scored a whopping 44 points for the Suns, but it was not enough to stop the Timberwolves.
Meanwhile, the Los Angeles Clippers ended their three-game losing streak with a win over the Utah Jazz, thanks to James Harden’s 20 points and 11 assists. Ivica Zubac also played a crucial role, scoring 22 points and grabbing 11 rebounds for the Clippers.
On the other hand, the Indiana Pacers held off a late comeback by the Miami Heat to secure a win, with Myles Turner’s 34 points leading the way.
The New York Knicks swept their two-game home series against the Brooklyn Nets, with Karl-Anthony Towns’ 26 points and 15 rebounds helping them secure a win.
The Dallas Mavericks also claimed victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder, with P.J. Washington’s 27 points and 17 rebounds leading the way.
Finally, the Portland Trail Blazers edged past the Atlanta Hawks, with Shaedon Sharpe’s 32 points and clutch plays in the final minute making the difference.
In another game, the Houston Rockets dominated the Chicago Bulls, with Fred VanVleet’s 28 points and Alperen Sengun’s triple-double leading them to a commanding win.
