CLEVELAND — The Cleveland Cavaliers built an 18-point lead in the third quarter and survived a late push to defeat the Milwaukee Bucks 118-113 in Sunday’s home opener at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse.
The victory moved Cleveland to 2-1, while Milwaukee fell to 2-1.
Key performances
Donovan Mitchell topped the Cavaliers with 24 points despite hitting just 1 of 8 from three-point range. Evan Mobley followed with 23 points, converting all 12 of his free-throw attempts—10 of them after halftime.
Head coach Kenny Atkinson praised guard Sam Merrill, who continued his hot start to the season and entered the night averaging 20.5 points on 55 percent shooting from beyond the arc. “Our best player so far,’’ Atkinson said.
DeAndre Hunter added 16 points in his return, and Lonzo Ball contributed 11 points, six rebounds and five assists for his most complete game since joining Cleveland. Jarrett Allen supplied eight points and 11 rebounds as the Cavaliers outrebounded the Bucks 44-37.
Milwaukee was led by Giannis Antetokounmpo, who finished with 40 points, 14 rebounds and nine assists on 14-of-20 shooting. Atkinson remarked that the two-time MVP appears “back to a championship level.”
Turning point
After Cleveland’s 23-6 run put the hosts up 88-70, the Bucks switched to a zone defense and climbed back into contention. Antetokounmpo twice pulled Milwaukee within a single possession, but Mobley’s late free throws and timely stops sealed the result.
What’s next
The Cavaliers fly to Detroit for a Monday matchup with the Pistons, who also sit at 2-1. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. in both clubs’ first game on Peacock.
“We still have a lot to improve on, a lot to learn,” Atkinson said. “How can we be better? How can I adjust the lineups better?”
Source: Hoops Wire
