The Cleveland Cavaliers wasted no time shaking off the All-Star break rust, overwhelming the Brooklyn Nets 112-84 on Thursday night at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse.
Cleveland (35-21) turned the contest into a runaway almost immediately. Brooklyn head coach Kenny Atkinson called his first timeout just 41 seconds after the opening tip, but the stoppage did little to slow the hosts, who led by double digits before the first quarter ended and never looked back.
Guard James Harden directed the offense with 16 points and nine assists, repeatedly finding teammates for easy baskets. Donovan Mitchell finished with 17 points, and center Jarrett Allen added 15 as the Cavaliers secured their sixth consecutive victory and 11th in their last 12 outings.
The game marked the return of forward Evan Mobley (right calf) and swingman Dean Wade (left ankle). Mobley, on a minutes restriction, posted 10 points and nine rebounds, while Wade scored 11, including a stretch in which he briefly led the team in first-quarter scoring.
“This was a professional performance; we handled our business,” Atkinson said after watching his club shoot 51 percent from the field. Of Cleveland’s 12 made three-pointers (12-for-35, 34 percent), several came long after the outcome had been decided.
Brooklyn (15-39) received 13 points from former Cavaliers first-round pick Ochai Agbaji. The Nets shot 35 percent overall and trailed by as many as 33.
Thursday’s matchup opened a demanding segment of five games in seven days for Cleveland, which continues its back-to-back set Friday in Charlotte against the Hornets.
Source: Hoops Wire
