The Cleveland Cavaliers beat the Washington Wizards 121-111 after trailing by double digits at halftime. It’s Cleveland’s third win in a row.
Evan Mobley led the Cavs in scoring with 24 points and 12 rebounds. Mobley, in particular, had it rolling from downtown with 5-of-6 three-point attempts going in. He fell one shy of his career-high (six versus Charlotte in the 2024-25 season).
This wasn’t exactly a defensive masterclass in the first half. Cleveland struggled to get back in transition or in the half-court
matchup, with Washington hanging 42 points on them while shooting 13-for-18 inside of two-point range.
The Wizards scored 26 points in the paint during the first quarter. AJ Dybantsa, last summer’s No. 1 overall pick, scored 9 points and didn’t miss a shot in his first stint.
Cleveland eventually found a spark in the second quarter as Peyton Watson began scoring from all three levels. He buried a few jumpers from the mid-range before stepping out behind the arc and canning a three-pointer. Watson finished the half with 16 points on 7-11 shooting.
Still, the Cavs found themselves down by double digits heading into halftime for the second straight game. Their poor interior and transition defense was to blame.
There was a marginal increase in effort for the second half. Not enough to avoid another backdoor alley-oop, but the Cavs amped their intensity to the point where it was a tie game entering the fourth quarter. Half of the battle is giving yourself a chance to win in the end.
The Cavs carried that momentum into the fourth quarter, where timely shots from Mario Hezonja and Meleek Thomas put them in front. Thomas, who won over Cleveland in his debut on Monday, had another strong performance on the defensive end.
A win tonight makes the Cavs 3-1 on the season, with another game tomorrow on the road against the Atlanta Hawks. They’ll conclude the month of October with a game against the Milwaukee Bucks on Halloween night.
