Donovan Mitchell collected 37 points, eight rebounds and six assists, and Evan Mobley scored 18 points as the Cleveland Cavaliers pulled away for a 120-105 victory over the visiting Los Angeles Clippers on Sunday night.
De’Andre Hunter added 17 points and Darius Garland had eight points and eight assists for the Cavaliers, who went 4-2 on their longest homestand of the season. It was the 100th regular-season game as Cleveland’s coach for Kenny Atkinson, who is 76-24.
Ivica Zubac amassed a season-high 33 points and grabbed 18 rebounds to pace the Clippers. Kawhi Leonard scored 20 in his first game since Nov. 3 and James Harden had 19 points, but missed all eight of his 3-point attempts.
Leonard, who missed the previous 10 games with a right ankle sprain, started at small forward and played 26-plus minutes. Harden was one day removed from scoring a franchise-record 55 points in a win at the Charlotte Hornets.
Mobley also had 10 rebounds in the Cavaliers’ second win in a row. Los Angeles has lost 10 of its 12 games in November and fell to 2-7 on the road.
After the Clippers pulled within 77-76 on a Nicolas Batum 3-pointer in the third quarter, Mitchell triggered a 20-3 run that extended Cleveland’s lead to 97-79 early in the fourth. The six-time All-Star shooting guard either scored or assisted on 19 of the 20 points in the surge.
Fueled by 18 points from Mitchell, the Cavaliers built an 11-point lead in the second before carrying a 59-52 edge into the half. Harden, Leonard and Zubac had 12 apiece for Los Angeles.
Cleveland scored nine straight points to end the first quarter, going in front 27-24 on a 3-pointer by Tyrese Proctor. Harden had 10 points and Mitchell had nine.
Cavaliers center Jarrett Allen (right third finger strain) and Clippers shooting guard Bogdan Bogdanovic (left hip soreness) each missed their second straight games.
Point guards Craig Porter Jr. (left hamstring strain) and Lonzo Ball (left knee management) and shooting guard Sam Merrill (right hand sprain) were inactive for Cleveland, leaving it painfully thin in the backcourt behind Mitchell and Garland. Proctor contributed 11 points in 17 minutes.
