CLEVELAND — The Cleveland Cavaliers, currently leading the NBA, secured a thrilling 129-123 victory over the Memphis Grizzlies on Sunday night, bolstered by Donovan Mitchell’s impressive 33-point performance. All-Star Evan Mobley contributed significantly as well, scoring 25 points along with 13 rebounds and eight assists. Ty Jerome emerged as a key player for the Cavaliers, netting 15 of his 26 points in a pivotal fourth quarter. With this win, Cleveland’s winning streak extended to seven games, and they boast a remarkable home record of 27-4 at Rocket Arena. Notably, All-Star Darius Garland was sidelined for this matchup due to a bruised hip sustained during a game against New York on Friday.
On the other hand, Memphis, ranked second in the Western Conference, suffered its third loss in four games. Jaren Jackson Jr. led the Grizzlies with 22 points, followed closely by Ja Morant, who added 21 points and 10 assists. Luke Kennard provided a strong bench presence, contributing 19 points to the effort.
This game showcased two of the highest-scoring teams in the league, with Cleveland averaging 122.9 points per game and Memphis right behind at 122.8. Ultimately, the Cavaliers managed to score just eight points more than the Grizzlies despite playing the same number of games.
Key moments included Jackson’s crucial three-point play that sliced Memphis’s deficit to 124-121 with 42 seconds left. However, the Grizzlies faltered on their next attempt to score, missing two critical free throws. Jackson had a commendable performance in the fourth quarter, where he scored 12 points. For the Cavaliers, Mobley came close to achieving his first NBA triple-double, recording nine assists alongside his tallies, though he did struggle with his perimeter shooting, hitting only 1 of 8 from three-point range.
A particular turning point in the game occurred when Mitchell and Desmond Bane clashed while pursuing a loose ball in the third quarter, which resulted in both players receiving technical fouls. Similarly, Morant and Cleveland’s Tristan Thompson were issued technicals for their involvement in the skirmish.
An interesting stat to note is that the Cavaliers, who lead the league with a 39.3 percent success rate from beyond the arc, struggled early in the game, missing 22 of their first 25 three-point attempts. All of their early successes from long distance came from Mitchell, who was responsible for their only makes during that stretch. Cleveland eventually closed the game with a final tally of 13 out of 47 from three-point land.
Looking ahead, the Grizzlies will kick off a five-game homestand with a match against the Phoenix Suns on Tuesday night, while the Cavaliers will face the Orlando Magic on the same night.
