Donovan Mitchell scored 33 points, Jarrett Allen had 22 points and 10 rebounds, and the Cleveland Cavaliers defeated the Denver Nuggets 149-135 on Friday night.
Evan Mobley added 26 points, Darius Garland contributed 25 points, Caris LeVert scored 13 off the bench, and Dean Wade, who returned after missing one game, finished with 11 points. This victory marked the Cavaliers’ sixth straight win and set a season-high for points.
Nikola Jokic recorded his NBA-best 12th triple-double with 27 points, 14 rebounds, and 13 assists. Jamal Murray also had 27 points and tied his season-high with 11 assists, while Michael Porter Jr. and Peyton Watson each scored 18 for the Nuggets. Denver allowed a season-high in points.
The Nuggets were without Aaron Gordon, who missed the game due to a right calf strain sustained in Wednesday’s 110-100 loss to Phoenix. Russell Westbrook started in his place and scored 11 points, while Julian Strawther added 11 and Christian Braun scored 16.
The Cavaliers led by 15 points at halftime. Denver cut the lead to 12 early in the third quarter, but Cleveland pushed the lead to 96-77 when Mitchell made two free throws with 7:46 remaining in the period.
The Nuggets managed to reduce the lead to 107-93 after Braun’s first 3-pointer of the game, but LeVert hit two 3-pointers, boosting Cleveland’s lead to 113-93, and the Cavaliers led 116-101 heading into the final quarter.
With Jokic on the bench, Denver tried to rally in the fourth. Watson hit a 3-pointer and DeAndre Jordan dunked an alley-oop, but Mobley answered with two 3-pointers and two free throws to push the score to 122-108.
Allen’s tip-in and a fastbreak dunk made it 134-115 with 6:41 left, and Cleveland held on to win.
Denver led 53-50 early in the second quarter, but the Cavaliers scored 16 consecutive points to take control. Garland scored nine of his 15 first-half points in the final 7:16, and Mitchell hit two 3-pointers to give Cleveland an 18-point lead.
The Cavaliers led 80-65 at halftime
