Donovan Mitchell scored a season-high 46 points and Jarrett Allen collected 24 points and 10 rebounds, powering the Cleveland Cavaliers to a 132-121 win over the visiting Philadelphia 76ers on Wednesday night.
Evan Mobley had 23 points and Darius Garland scored eight in 26 minutes in his season debut for Cleveland, which never trailed and built a 116-90 advantage early in the fourth quarter. The Cavaliers won their second straight.
Tyrese Maxey scored 14 of his 27 points in the second quarter and dished nine assists, while Quentin Grimes also had 27 points for Philadelphia. Andre Drummond added 13 points and 13 rebounds as the 76ers dropped their second in a row after opening the season 5-1.
Garland missed Cleveland’s first seven games after undergoing left big toe surgery in June, while Allen returned from a two-game absence due to a fractured left finger.
Philadelphia trailed by 17 points in the first quarter but pulled even at 72-72 on a Kelly Oubre Jr. 3-pointer in the third. Cleveland answered with 13 straight points, including six by Allen and five by Mobley, to reestablish command.
76ers shooting guard VJ Edgecombe, who was averaging an NBA rookie-best 19.1 points, managed just seven and missed 11 of his 14 field-goal attempts. Oubre had 19 points and Trenton Watford had 16 points and six assists.
Maxey’s second-period outburst included two 3-pointers and a layup that pulled the 76ers within three points at halftime. Cleveland was up 70-67 at intermission as Mitchell led all scorers with 21.
The Cavaliers seized a 28-11 lead on a Mobley 3-pointer seven minutes in and carried a 41-27 advantage into the second quarter. Mitchell had 15 points in the first, nailing three of his six 3-pointers on the night.
76ers center Joel Embiid and shooting guard Jared McCain, who are ramping up from knee injuries, did not play on the second half of a back-to-back set. Philadelphia lost 113-111 at the Chicago Bulls on Tuesday.
