NBA: Cleveland Cavaliers use balanced attack to rout Washington Wizards

Donovan Mitchell had 21 points and Evan Mobley added 16 for Cleveland, which has won three in a row for the first time since December 31-January 4.

Cleveland Cavaliers guard Darius Garland passes the ball towards guard Donovan Mitchell during the second half of an NBA game against Washington Wizards centre Daniel Gafford on February 6, 2023. | Photo Credit: AP

Darius Garland and Jarrett Allen scored 23 points apiece as the visiting Cleveland Cavaliers routed the short-handed Washington Wizards 114-91 on Monday.

Donovan Mitchell had 21 points and Evan Mobley added 16 for Cleveland, which has won three in a row for the first time since December 31-January 4. Isaac Okoro scored 12 points and Caris LeVert had 10 points and eight rebounds.

Kristaps Porzingis led Washington with 18 points and seven rebounds. Will Barton scored 15 points, Deni Avdija added 12, Daniel Gafford had 11 points and eight rebounds, and Monte Morris tallied 10 points and seven assists.

Washington played without injured starters Kyle Kuzma (left ankle sprain) and Bradley Beal (left foot soreness) and lost its third straight. The Wizards shot 6 of 28 (21.4 per cent) from 3-point range and trailed by as many as 28 points in the third quarter.

Cleveland never trailed and finished the game shooting 56.4 percent from the field and 12 of 29 (41.4 percent) from beyond the arc.

Playing the second game of a back-to-back, the Cavaliers bolted to a 34-20 lead and led by 12 at the end of the first quarter after shooting 15 of 23 (65.2 percent) from the field.

Washington, which blew double-digit leads in back-to-back losses over the weekend, fell behind by 22 after Allen scored with 4:02 left in the half.

Cleveland held a 66-46 advantage at the break with all five starters scoring in double figures. Allen scored 16 points to lead the Cavaliers, who shot 62.8 percent from the field and 7 of 11 (63.6 percent) from 3-point range for the half.

Porzingis had 15 points in the opening half for Washington, which entered the break shooting 1 of 14 (7.1 percent) from beyond the arc.

Okoro, who scored a season-high 20 points in Sunday’s 122-103 win over the Indiana Pacers, had all 12 of his points in the first half and has scored in double figures in three straight games for the first time this season.

The Cavaliers carried the momentum into the third quarter and stretched their lead to 90-62 on Mobley’s two free throws. Both coaches rested their starters for much of the fourth quarter.

Cleveland has won its last three meetings against the Wizards, including a 117-107 overtime victory on October 23.