NBA-leading Cavaliers seize control in the 2nd half and beat Timberwolves 124-117
MINNEAPOLIS, MN – Donovan Mitchell poured in 36 points and Darius Garland added 29 as the NBA-leading Cleveland Cavaliers rallied in the second half to secure a 124-117 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Saturday night.
With the game tied at halftime, Cleveland (35-6) outscored Minnesota by 10 points in the third quarter, and then began the fourth with a dominant 10-0 run to take control.
Anthony Edwards led Minnesota with 28 points, while Julius Randle contributed a near triple-double, finishing with 20 points, 14 rebounds, and 9 assists.
The Cavaliers were missing forward Evan Mobley, who was sidelined due to right calf soreness, and Isaac Okoro, who sat out with a right AC joint sprain. Both players had been active in Thursday’s loss to Oklahoma City.
Minnesota also dealt with a key absence, as guard Donte DiVincenzo missed his second consecutive game due to a left great toe sprain.
Edwards made history during the game, becoming the third-youngest player in NBA history to reach 8,000 career points. He joined LeBron James and Kevin Durant as the only players to achieve this feat at a younger age.
Cleveland bounced back from its biggest loss of the season, a 20-point defeat to the Thunder, to avoid just its second two-game losing streak of the year.
Minnesota, on the other hand, seemed to struggle after halftime in the second game of a back-to-back, following a win over the Knicks in New York on Friday. The Timberwolves now have a 2-4 record in such games this season.
Both teams will be back in action on Monday, with Cleveland hosting Phoenix and Minnesota traveling to Memphis.