Cavaliers pummel Wizards for second straight game

Field Level Media|published: Sat Jan 06 2024 03:05
Jan 5, 2024; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell (45) drives to the basket against Washington Wizards guard Tyus Jones (5) during the first half at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. credits: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports

Donovan Mitchell led all scorers with 26 points, Jarrett Allen and Caris LeVert put up double-doubles and the Cleveland Cavaliers completed a two-game sweep of the visiting Washington Wizards 114-90 on Friday night.

In a game with far less scoring than Cleveland's 140-101 romp on Wednesday, the Cavaliers used 48.5 percent shooting on 3-pointers to outscore the visitors 48-27 from beyond the arc and account for most of the margin of victory.

Demonstrating there would be no letdown in the wake of their most lopsided win of the season, the Cavaliers got a 3-pointer from Mitchell 19 seconds into the game and were never headed.

They outscored the Wizards in each of the first three quarters, extending a 10-point lead after one period to as many as 18 in the second quarter and 28 in the third before coasting home.

Mitchell shot 8-for-15 from the floor, leading five Cavaliers' scorers in double figures. He went 5-for-8 from beyond the arc, teaming with Georges Niang (4-for-8) and Sam Merrill (3-for-9) for 12 of the team's 16.

Allen's double-double consisted of 12 points and a 12 rebounds, while LeVert had 11 assists to go with 11 points.

Niang finished with 14 points and nine rebounds and Merrill 11 points for Cleveland, which improved to 2-0 at the start of a six-game homestand.

Tyus Jones had 16 points to pace the Wizards, who were outshot 53.2 percent to 41.7 percent. Jones also found time for five assists.

Washington stars Kyle Kuzma and Jordan Poole both struggled from the field, Kuzma going 4-for-14 on a nine-point night and Poole 0-for-4 while scoring only two points.

Bilal Coulibaly added 15 points, while Deni Avdija and Corey Kispert chipped in with 13 apiece for the Wizards, who lost for the sixth time in their last seven games.

Coulibaly led Wizards rebounders with seven, while Delon Wright had five of Washington's 12 steals to complement seven points.

—Field Level Media

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