NBA: Cavs share scoring duties in victory over Hornets

Donovan Mitchell scored 30 points, while Darius Garland and De’Andre Hunter each added 27 as the Cleveland Cavaliers snapped a three-game losing streak with a 139-132 win over the visiting Charlotte Hornets on Monday night.

Dean Wade contributed 14 points and seven rebounds for Cleveland, and Garland also dished out 10 assists. The Cavaliers were highly efficient offensively, scoring 70 points in the first half and 69 in the second. Cleveland shot 55.2% from the field, 54.5% from three-point range, and a perfect 19-for-19 from the free-throw line.

Charlotte’s LaMelo Ball finished with 23 points and nine assists, while Moussa Diabate recorded five points, a season-high 14 rebounds, and a career-best six steals. Rookie Kon Knueppel and Brandon Miller scored 20 points apiece for the Hornets, who have split their last four games. Charlotte previously defeated Cleveland 119-111 in overtime on Dec. 14.

Hunter helped push the Cavaliers’ lead to 98-85 late in the third quarter after remaining in the game despite taking an elbow to the nose from Diabate. Following a flagrant foul call, Hunter converted both free throws and knocked down a three-pointer, drawing a loud ovation from the home crowd.

Cleveland took a 70-63 lead into halftime after Mitchell drained a buzzer-beating three-pointer. Mitchell scored 18 points in the first half, while Garland added 17. Ball and Knueppel led Charlotte with 15 points each at the break.

The opening quarter featured fast-paced scoring, with Garland tallying eight points in the first two minutes and Ball scoring nine in the first three. Charlotte edged Cleveland 36-33 at the end of the quarter, with Hunter leading the Cavaliers with nine points.

The Cavaliers were nearly at full strength for the first time in more than a month, missing only Defensive Player of the Year Evan Mobley, who sat out with a strained left calf. Mitchell returned after missing one game due to illness, having sat out a 136-125 loss to the Chicago Bulls on Friday.

Charlotte played without rookie center Ryan Kalkbrenner (left elbow sprain) and shooting guard Collin Sexton (left quadriceps strain). Sexton, a former Cavaliers starter, has now missed seven games due to injury.

— Field Level Media/Reuters