The Cleveland Cavaliers beat the New Orleans Pelicans 141-118. Donovan Mitchell led the way with 27 points while the team finished with another efficient shooting night.
Cleveland shot above 50% from the
floor for the second straight game.
Darius Garland played in this one after being listed as questionable with a quad contusion. He scored 10 points and dished 8 assists. His advantage creation had the Cavalier offense humming just as it did the night before, even if his stats weren’t as explosive.
Sam Merrill played his second game back from injury, this time in the starting lineup. It took him a few attempts to find his range, eventually nailing three triples in a row after an out-of-character airball in the first half. Merrill’s mere presence has helped the Cavaliers find some rhythym offensively.
Other contributors such as Dean Wade (11 points), Thomas Bryant (15 points) and Jaylon Tyson (18 points) all made positive impacts. Craig Porter Jr. deserves a nod, as well.
The Cavs started this game with a bang. They generated an endless amount of quality shots in the first half as the offense was running like a well-oiled machine. They took an early double-digit lead behind crisp ball movement and efficient shot making.
All the while, Cleveland flexed their defensive muscles for the first time in what feels like ages. The Pelicans only scored 22 points in the first quarter and the Cavs built a near 20-point lead before the Pelicans found a rhythm and clawed back into the game to close the half.
Thankfully, the Cavs got back to business in the third quarter. They came out of halftime with a newfound focus and decided they didn’t want to blow an opportunity to go into the holidays feeling good. This was an all-around dominant performance that capped off back-to-back wins for the Cavs for the first time since before Thanksgiving.
