Darius Garland, Donovan Mitchell and the Cleveland Cavaliers are now 13-0. (Geoff Stellfox/Getty Images)
A depleted Philadelphia 76ers lineup fought valiantly.
But the Cleveland Cavaliers prevailed again on Wednesday, rallying from a halftime deficit of 54-48 to hold off the Philadelphia 76ers for a 114-106 victory. This win propelled the Cavaliers to a 13-0 record, solidifying their position as one of the best starts in NBA history – currently ranking sixth.
The Cavaliers are now just one win away from tying the fourth-best start in league history. The 2002-03 Dallas Mavericks and 1957-58 Philadelphia Warriors each secured a 14-0 record. Evan Mobley, alongside Garland and Mitchell, anchors this surging team – having put together his best season since joining the Cavaliers as the No. 3 pick in the 2021 NBA draft. Mobley finished with 14 points, seven rebounds, one steal, and one block.
The Cavs shot 49.4% from the field and an impressive 40% (16 of 40) from three-point range in their victory.
Meanwhile, the 76ers faced a challenging situation with a makeshift starting lineup as All-Stars Joel Embiid, Paul George, and Tyrese Maxey all sat out dressed in street clothes. Backup center Andre Drummond was also an unexpected late scratch due to illness.
Embiid and George were both rested as part of the team’s “injury management” strategy on the second night of a back-to-back set. Both players participated in Tuesday’s loss against the New York Knicks, marking Embiid’s season debut. Maxey missed Wednesday’s game due to a hamstring injury that is expected to sideline him for multiple weeks.
Guerschon Yabusele, Caleb Martin, Kyle Lowry, Kelly Oubre Jr., and Jared McCain started for Philadelphia with its All-Stars unavailable. McCain was enjoying his best rookie season game, scoring 34 points and dishing out 10 assists, but it wasn’t enough to overcome the red-hot Cavaliers.
The Cavaliers will continue their quest for an undefeated streak when they host the Chicago Bulls on Friday.
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