NBA: Cavaliers remain perfect, beat 76ers to improve to 13-0
The Cavaliers became the sixth team in NBA history to open a season 13-0, getting 23 points from Donovan Mitchell in a 114-106 victory
Donovan Mitchell scored 11 of his 23 points in the final three minutes and the Cleveland Cavaliers became the sixth team in NBA history to start a season 13-0 with a 114-106 win over the Philadelphia 76ers on Wednesday night.
Mitchell also grabbed 13 rebounds and added nine assists as Cleveland became the first team since the 2015-16 Golden State Warriors to win 13 straight to begin a season. That Warriors team holds the record for most wins to begin a campaign at 24 straight.
Darius Garland scored 25 points for the Cavs, while Evan Mobley had 14 points with seven rebounds.
Jared McCain had a career-high 34 for the 76ers, who played without Paul George and Joel Embiid on the second night of a back-to-back as part of left knee injury maintenance. Kelly Oubre Jr. had 20 points while Caleb Martin added 18 for the Sixers.
Mitchell hit three 3-pointers with less than three minutes to play to extend Cleveland's lead to seven, seemingly taking the starch out of the Sixers' final push.
The Cavaliers have won 13 in a row for the fourth time in franchise history. The other three times - in 2009, 2010 and 2017 - were when they had LeBron James on the roster.
DOUBLE-DOUBLE DON. #LetEmKnow pic.twitter.com/mPz6gciRWi
— Cleveland Cavaliers (@cavs) November 14, 2024
Antetokounmpo has 59 as Bucks outlast Pistons
Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 59 points to pace the Milwaukee Bucks to a 127-120 overtime victory over the Detroit Pistons.
It was a league-high for points by an NBA player this season and the second-highest single-game total for Antetokounmpo, who had 64 against Indiana last season.
Antetokounmpo hit 21 of 34 shots and 16 of 17 free throws and added 14 rebounds and seven assists as the Bucks rallied from an 18-point second-half deficit.
Brook Lopez added 29 points for the Bucks. Cade Cunningham led Detroit with 35 points and Malik Beasley scored 26 against his former team.
Detroit's Ron Holland II was fouled by Antetokounmpo with one second left in regulation and the score tied at 111, but Holland missed both free throws.
Milwaukee played without Damian Lillard (concussion protocol), Ryan Rollins (left shoulder instability) and Bobby Portis (right elbow contusion).
Antetokounmpo made every basket for Milwaukee in the first quarter, hitting 7 of 10 field-goal attempts and all eight of his free throws for 22 of the team’s 24 points.
The Bucks improved to 22-1 against Detroit since the 2018-19 season and won their 10th straight in the series.
What a freakish stat line from Giannis.
— Milwaukee Bucks (@Bucks) November 14, 2024
59 PTS | 14 REB | 7 AST | 3 BLK | 2 STL | 62% FG pic.twitter.com/Mu75qJk7qO
Wembanyama drops 50 in Spurs’ win
Victor Wembanyama set career highs with 50 points and eight 3-pointers to lead the San Antonio Spurs to a 139-130 victory over the Washington Wizards.
At 20 years 314 days, Wembanyama is the fourth-youngest player to score 50 points, trailing only Brandon Jennings, LeBron James and Devin Booker.
Wembanyama's previous high was 40 points in a 130-126 overtime victory over New York on March 29.
He made at least six 3-pointers for the third straight game and is 20 for 37 from deep during that span.
Jordan Poole had 42 points – one shy of his career high - for Washington, which lost its sixth straight.
Devin Vassell had 17 points in his third game for the Spurs since returning from offseason surgery to repair a fractured right foot.
Washington’s Alexandre Sarr blocked Wembanyama's shot in the second quarter and dunked on his fellow Frenchman in the third quarter. Sarr finished with 12 points, two rebounds, two assists and a block in 25 minutes.
Wembanyama is the eighth player in franchise history to score 50 points. David Robinson holds the franchise record with 71 points against the Los Angeles Clippers on April 24, 1994.
: 50 PTS | 6 REB | 3 BLK | 2 AST pic.twitter.com/qvM9qDwf4r
— San Antonio Spurs (@spurs) November 14, 2024