Darius Garland scored 41 points and Cleveland teammate Donovan Mitchell poured in 34 points to help the Cavaliers snap a five-game losing streak with a 132-122 double-overtime victory over the visiting Charlotte Hornets on Friday.
The Cavaliers blew a 10-point lead in the final minute of regulation, then needed Garland’s 3-pointer for the final points of the first overtime to extend the game with the score tied at 120-120.
The Hornets didn’t score in the last 4 1/2 minutes of the second overtime session after notching the first points of that period.
Evan Mobley posted 21 points and 18 rebounds while Jarrett Allen added 20 points and 12 boards for Cleveland.
Kelly Oubre tallied 34 points and P.J. Washington and Terry Rozier both scored 28 points, but the Hornets lost for the 10th time in 11 games. Nick Richards had 13 points and 14 rebounds off the Charlotte bench.
The Hornets were without point guard LaMelo Ball, who was injured late in the team’s Wednesday loss to the Indiana Pacers. That was only his third game of the season following a preseason ankle injury and his latest ailment appears similar in nature. However, Gordon Hayward was back from a shoulder injury that cost him eight games, and he contributed 13 points, seven rebounds and seven assists.
Cleveland led by a double-digit margin for large chunks of the game, including with 1:45 to play at 101-91 after Mitchell hit a 3-pointer for his first points of the fourth quarter. The Hornets had a few rallies, but they didn’t appear to really threaten until the final minute, especially when the score was 103-93 with 45 seconds to play.
Rozier and Oubre sank 3-pointers to make it 103-99 with 29.7 seconds left. Allen hit two free throws for the Cavaliers before Washington’s trey pulled Charlotte within three.
A turnover gave the Hornets a chance to tie, but Washington missed from 3-point range. A jump ball got the Hornets another possession, and Rozier’s 3-pointer tied the game.
–Field Level Media