Donovan Mitchell scored 24 points and Darius Garland added 20 points with nine assists as the Cleveland Cavaliers dominated the Washington Wizards 148-114 on Friday night at Capital One Arena.
Cleveland improved to 6-3 overall and 1-1 in NBA Cup play, fueled by a fast start that put the Wizards on their heels early. CJ McCollum led Washington with 25 points, scoring 20 in the first half, but it wasn’t enough to keep pace.
The Cavaliers outscored Washington 76-59 in the first half, with Garland and Sam Merrill combining for 28 points before Merrill cooled off in the second half. Cleveland built a 109-86 advantage by the third quarter, effectively putting the game out of reach.
Evan Mobley posted 18 points and 10 rebounds, while Jarrett Allen added 16 points and 14 boards. Tyrese Proctor chipped in 17 points as Cleveland collected 25 offensive rebounds to maintain control.
Washington’s Alex Sarr scored 20 points, but the Wizards fell to 1-8 and have now lost seven straight. Khris Middleton added four points, while Bub Carrington had six, and Tre Johnson scored 18, but Boston’s scoring was not matched by team depth.
Mitchell returned to action after missing Cleveland’s NBA Cup opener due to a hamstring issue, while Garland made his second game appearance following surgery to repair a turf toe injury. Both played pivotal roles in the Cavaliers’ balanced attack.
Cleveland hosts Chicago on Saturday, while Washington faces Dallas in a back-to-back.
