Donovan Mitchell, Cavaliers take aim at undermanned 76ers
Cleveland was thoroughly outplayed Sunday by the Boston Celtics, who ended the Cavaliers' seven-game home winning streak.
There won't be time for Cleveland to lick its wounds because the team will host the short-handed Philadelphia 76ers on Monday night.
All-Star shooting guard Donovan Mitchell scored 30 points and James Harden had 19 to go with 10 assists against Boston, but the Cavaliers barely were competitive in falling behind by 26 points in the third quarter.
The rout began in the first half, when Cleveland missed 20 of its 22 3-pointers, shot 28.9% from the field and dug a 21-point hole. Mitchell and perimeter specialists Sam Merrill and Jaylon Tyson combined to miss all nine of their pre-intermission 3-point attempts.
"Against a team like that, it's really make or miss," said Mitchell, who topped 30 points for the 30th time in 56 games. "And we missed a lot of open 3s. That was one of the worst halves of shooting we've had all season."
As usual, Mitchell was the best player on the Cavaliers. He returned from a four-game absence due to a right groin strain, burying 9 of 18 field-goal attempts, including 3 of 9 beyond the arc, and was 9 of 11 from the foul line.
Mitchell is averaging 28.6 points and 5.8 assists a game this season.
"There was a little rust there, but Don kept us in the game," Cleveland coach Kenny Atkinson said. "Boston just made better decisions than we did. We love 3s, but sometimes we're a little overzealous with them."
The Cavaliers remain comfortably in fourth place in the Eastern Conference but likely will be without center Jarrett Allen for a second straight game because of a right knee injury.
Philadelphia, meanwhile, absorbed another major blow Saturday in a 125-116 loss at the Atlanta Hawks, losing standout point guard Tyrese Maxey to a sprained right finger. He collided with teammate Adem Bona on an inbound play with 16.2 seconds left.
Officially, the 76ers are listing Maxey as out for the next two games while he undergoes additional medical tests. He hid his right hand as he walked off the court, tucking it under his jersey in a move has sparked speculation of a more serious issue.
"We'll judge that based on what happens," Philadelphia coach Nick Nurse said. "Obviously, it's huge, right, with everything we've got going on with other guys out."
Oft-injured center Joel Embiid will be inactive, as well, with a right oblique strain, and guard VJ Edgecombe is questionable Monday with a bruised lumbar. Guard Paul George continues to serve a league suspension for a violation of the drug policy.
The 76ers flew into Cleveland following their loss to the Hawks, affording them a day to rest. Center Andre Drummond opted to sit courtside for the G League game between the Cleveland Charge and Capital City Go-Go, but most players remained at their team hotel.
Maxey scored 31 points, Quentin Grimes added 26 and Kelly Oubre Jr. 24 vs. Atlanta, which saw Philadelphia drop out of a top-six playoff position. The team now sits eighth after being hopped over by the Orlando Magic and Miami Heat.
"The standings are what they are," Nurse said. "Everybody below us is kind of hot, but there are plenty of games (19) left to play."
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