TITLE: Cavaliers hold off late surge, beat Bucks 123-116 in Milwaukee
SLUG: cavs-top-bucks-road-win
CONTENT:
The Cleveland Cavaliers tightened the screws in the fourth quarter and earned a 123-116 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks on Tuesday night at Fiserv Forum.
Evan Mobley and James Harden powered Cleveland (42-27) with 27 points apiece. Mobley added 15 rebounds, while Harden shot efficiently and regularly found Mobley in pick-and-roll action.
Balanced offense carries Cleveland
Despite a 4-for-14 shooting night, Donovan Mitchell contributed 19 points. Reserve guard Sam Merrill provided a spark with 17 points on 6-of-12 from the field, and Dean Wade and Keon Ellis combined for 17 more. Recently returned Max Strus had six points and six rebounds in 23 minutes, supplying the energy head coach J.B. Bickerstaff has come to expect.
Bucks rain threes without Giannis
Milwaukee (28-40) played without injured star Giannis Antetokounmpo (knee) but stayed close thanks to hot perimeter shooting. Former Cavalier Kevin Porter Jr. led the way with 25 points and 10 assists. Bobby Portis, Ryan Rollins and Ousmane Dieng each connected repeatedly from deep, and forward Pete Nance hit three of his four three-point attempts while scoring 13.
Key quotes
“When I get into the paint, good things happen for our team,” Harden told NBC’s Zora Stephenson postgame.
Mobley summed up the night for FanDuel Sports Cleveland: “Sometimes you gotta just win ugly. We came out here just OK, and then they went on a run. We got the win at the end of the day and that’s what matters.”
Looking ahead
The Cavaliers embark on a two-game trip to Chicago and New Orleans before returning home for matchups with Orlando and a pair against Miami. Milwaukee continues its homestand later this week.
Source: Hoops Wire
