Donovan Mitchell scored 33 points and Darius Garland added 18 points with eight assists to lead the Cleveland Cavaliers to a 113-108 victory over the Denver Nuggets on Friday at Rocket Arena. The Cavaliers trailed 105-101 with 4:43 remaining before a 10-0 run, including Garland’s go-ahead 3-pointer with 2:13 left.
De’Andre Hunter contributed 16 points, and Jarrett Allen posted eight points with 12 rebounds as Cleveland dominated the boards 55-32. Evan Mobley added eight points, 11 rebounds, and three blocks but missed all five of his free throws in the win.
Jamal Murray scored 28 of his 34 points in the first half for Denver, which played its second game without Nikola Jokic due to a hyperextended left knee. Peyton Watson added 21 points, while Tim Hardaway Jr. had 15 but went 1-of-9 in the fourth quarter as the Nuggets were outscored 24-11 down the stretch.
The Nuggets were further depleted by the absences of Aaron Gordon, Cam Johnson, Christian Braun, and backup center Jonas Valanciunas, leaving Denver short-handed across multiple positions. Despite shooting 43% overall, Denver struggled in the fourth quarter, allowing Cleveland to seize control.
Mitchell, Garland, Mobley, and Allen started together for just the seventh time this season, marking their fifth win as a lineup. Lonzo Ball returned after missing three games, scoring six points in 15 minutes, while Craig Porter Jr. added 10 points, six rebounds, and five assists off the bench.
Cleveland improves to 20-16, with a 13-8 home record through 21 games at Rocket Arena. The Cavaliers will host Detroit on Sunday, while Denver travels to Brooklyn to face the Nets.
