NBA: Cavs wipe out deficit, extend surge with win over Grizzlies

The Cleveland Cavaliers overcame a 17-point first-half deficit to beat the host Memphis Grizzlies 142-126 on Monday night, securing the 14th 50-win season in franchise history.

Evan Mobley led Cleveland with 24 points, while Dennis Schroder added 22 points and 11 assists. Sam Merrill contributed 21 points, Keon Ellis had 19 points and eight assists, and Jarrett Allen chipped in 13 points and nine rebounds. The Cavaliers won for the ninth time in 11 games despite missing key players.

Memphis, plagued by injuries all season, dropped its fifth straight game and fell 18 times in 20 games. However, the Grizzlies tied the NBA record for most 3-pointers made in a single game. Adama Bal’s 3-pointer with 1:41 left gave Memphis its 29th triple, matching records set by Boston in 2024 and Milwaukee in 2020. The Grizzlies finished 29 of 59 (49.2%) from long range.

Olivier-Maxence Prosper led Memphis with 24 points on 10-of-12 shooting, while Dariq Whitehead and Bal came off the bench to score 20 points each. Lucas Williamson added 17 points, five rebounds, and four assists. Walter Clayton Jr. contributed 10 points and 11 assists.

Cleveland played without Donovan Mitchell (right ankle), James Harden (personal reasons), and Max Strus (left foot) but extended its winning streak against Memphis to seven games.

Trailing 44-27 in the second quarter, the Cavaliers rallied to lead 68-64 at halftime. A strong second quarter, highlighted by 10 points from Ellis, saw Cleveland outscore the Grizzlies 44-28 while shooting 63%.

The Cavaliers pushed their lead to 17 points late in the third quarter on a Merrill 3-pointer and maintained a double-digit advantage for most of the fourth. Memphis cut the deficit to 10 points late on Bal’s record-tying 3-pointer but could not close the gap further.

With star guard Ja Morant and big man Zach Edey sidelined with season-ending injuries, Memphis relied heavily on a lineup that included four players on 10-day contracts, limping toward the regular-season finish.

—Field Level Media/Reuters