Donovan Mitchell scored 29 points and the visiting Cleveland Cavaliers set the record for the best start in franchise history at 9-0 with a 131-122 victory over the New Orleans Pelicans on Wednesday night, November 6 (Thursday, November 7, Manila time).
Mitchell led a balanced attack as Jarrett Allen added 16 points and 14 rebounds, Caris LeVert scored 16 off the bench, Evan Mobley scored 15, Darius Garland had 14 and Ty Jerome 11.
The 1976-1977 Cavaliers started their season 8-0.
Zion Williamson scored 29 points to lead the Pelicans, while Jose Alvarado scored 27, Brandon Ingram had 20, Brandon Boston Jr. had 14, Javonte Green added 11 and Yves Missi 10.
Allen and Mobley had 4 points each and Garland and Mitchell each made a three-pointer as the Cavs broke a 59-all halftime tie with a 16-4 run.
The Pelicans closed within 7 points before Garland made two three-pointers and Sam Merrill made one to help Cleveland open a 97-81 lead. New Orleans trimmed the lead to 99-88 at the end of the third quarter.
Georges Niang’s basket started the fourth-quarter scoring before Williamson scored 6 and Boston added 5 to get the Pelicans within 5 points.
Kenny Atkinson has just become the first coach in @NBA history to start 9-0 in his first year with a new team! #LetEmKnow pic.twitter.com/GX7RfnGyQW
— Cleveland Cavaliers (@cavs) November 7, 2024
The Cavs rebuilt the lead to 12, but Alvarado made consecutive three-pointers to trim the lead to 112-106 midway through the period.
Mitchell and Allen answered with back-to-back baskets and the lead never shrunk to fewer than 6 points.
Cleveland scored the first 8 points before Alvarado made two three-pointers to help New Orleans take its first lead at 16-14.
The lead changed hands four more times before six Pelicans scored to help them expand the lead to 32-21.
LeVert scored 4 of the Cavs’ final 8 points and they trimmed the lead to 34-29 at the end of the quarter.
Green made a three-pointer to start the second-quarter scoring before Cleveland closed within three points. The teams entered halftime tied at 59.
Spida TOUGH and-1 to closeout the win in NOLA!@cavs move to a FRANCHISE-BEST 9-0 👏👏 pic.twitter.com/oG6uKZUQx4
— NBA (@NBA) November 7, 2024
– Rappler.com