NBA: Evan Mobley, James Harden tally 27 each as Cavs stop Bucks

Evan Mobley scored 27 points and grabbed a season-high 15 rebounds, while James Harden added 27 points and six assists as the Cleveland Cavaliers surged in the final seven minutes to beat the host Milwaukee Bucks 123-116 on Tuesday night.

Cleveland went on an 8-0 run in just 70 seconds midway through the fourth quarter to take a 108-100 lead and held on for its 11th win in 15 games with Harden in the lineup. Sam Merrill and Keon Ellis each contributed a 3-pointer during the decisive stretch.

Donovan Mitchell finished with 19 points, and Merrill added 17 for the Cavaliers (42-27), who sit fourth in the Eastern Conference. Cleveland has split its last 12 games, dropping 2 1/2 games behind the third-place New York Knicks.

For Milwaukee (28-40), Kevin Porter Jr. scored 25 points with 10 assists, while Bobby Portis Jr., Ousmane Dieng, and Ryan Rollins each added 19 points. Portis also pulled down nine rebounds as the Bucks fell to 2-9 since February 27.

Milwaukee superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo did not play after hyperextending his left knee and sustaining a bone bruise on Sunday against the Indiana Pacers. The injury occurred as he landed from a spinning dunk, causing him to miss his 32nd game of the season.

The third quarter saw six lead changes, the final one coming on a Portis jumper with 1:54 remaining that gave the Bucks an 80-79 edge. Milwaukee held a slim 87-85 lead after 36 minutes. The Bucks finished with 20 made 3-pointers, including a career-high-tying five by Dieng.

Cleveland had built a 15-point lead early in the second quarter before Milwaukee rallied to a 58-57 halftime advantage. Portis hit three of the Bucks’ eight threes in the second and had 11 points with six rebounds by the break.

Harden scored 19 points on 6-of-7 shooting, and Mobley added 14 points and nine rebounds in the first half. Together, they matched Milwaukee’s team total of 24 points in the opening quarter, when Cleveland scored 37.

The Cavaliers made 27 of 34 free throws, while Milwaukee converted only 12 of 17.

Cleveland has been without center Jarrett Allen (right knee tendinitis) since March 3 against the Eastern Conference-leading Detroit Pistons. Backup point guards Craig Porter Jr. (left groin strain) and Tyrese Proctor (right quadriceps strain) were also out, while Milwaukee’s Myles Turner (right calf strain) was a game-day scratch.

Cleveland won both home games in the season series against Milwaukee and captured three of four overall.

-Field Level Media/Reuters