Cavs beat Lakers 114-100

Cavs beat Lakers 114-100

NBA

Cavs beat Lakers 114-100

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Donovan Mitchell scored 33 points and Darius Garland added 24 in the dynamic Cleveland backcourt’s return from injury absences, and the Cavaliers rolled past LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers 114-100 Sunday for their eighth consecutive victory.

Garland had played in just one of the Cavs’ previous seven games due to an eye injury and a subsequent knee injury. Garland and Mitchell (left ankle sprain) sat out Cleveland’s win over Detroit on Friday, but both stars returned in top form with a combined 17-for-35 shooting, four 3-pointers and a 19-for-20 performance at the free throw line.

“We just didn’t come out ready (in the second half),” Westbrook said. “We were playing catch-up.”

Jarrett Allen added 16 points to back the Cleveland guards’ latest two-man show while the Cavs improved to 8-1, extending their longest winning streak since a 13-game run in late 2017 during James’ final season with the team.

James scored 27 points, but lost to his hometown Cavaliers for only the second time in 19 meetings during his 20-year NBA career. He took his only other loss in March 2011 while with Miami.

Anthony Davis had 19 points and 12 rebounds for the Lakers, who dropped to 2-7 with their second straight home defeat. Russell Westbrook had 19 points and 10 assists with seven turnovers in another lively performance as a reserve, but the Lakers had no defensive answers for Mitchell or Garland.