Donovan Mitchell and the Cleveland Cavaliers look to continue their dominating ways on Friday when they host the New York Knicks.
Mitchell scored 26 points on Thursday as Cleveland posted its fifth win in a row and ninth in the last 10 games, a 110-97 decision against the Brooklyn Nets in New York.
The six-time All-Star has averaged 25 points over the nine games in which he has played in that stretch.
Evan Mobley recorded 18 points and 13 rebounds on Thursday, and former Net Jarrett Allen added 16 points to go along with a season-high 20 boards.
“I do kind of expect (double-double performances). That’s how talented they are,” Cavaliers coach Kenny Atkinson said of Mobley and Allen. “They are the base of this. (They are) two elite bigs in our league.”
Not to be outdone, Cleveland’s Darius Garland collected 18 points and nine assists on Thursday.
Mitchell, Mobley, Allen and Garland also provided significant contributions in the Cavaliers’ previous encounter with the Knicks.
Garland erupted for 34 points in Cleveland’s 110-104 victory in New York on Oct. 28. Mitchell logged 25 points in that game, while Mobley had 17 and Allen finished with 15 to go along with 15 rebounds.
The Eastern Conference-leading Cavaliers aren’t just standing on their laurels, however. They acquired De’Andre Hunter via a trade with the Atlanta Hawks earlier this month, and they reportedly are set to add fellow forward Javonte Green after his buyout from the New Orleans Pelicans.
“Adding Dre and Javonte will be very different for us,” Mitchell said prior to the Thursday game. “Continue to implement them into what we’ve got going. We have a lot of weapons. But this isn’t 2K. Don’t just plug and play. Gotta get out there and see what things look like.”
Cleveland will welcome back Dean Wade on Friday, Atkinson said. Wade has missed 11 consecutive games while dealing with a bone bruise in his right knee.
Wade will square off against a surging Knicks team.
Karl-Anthony Towns recorded 32 points and 18 rebounds in New York’s 113-111 overtime victory against the visiting Chicago Bulls on Thursday. Miles McBride scored 23 points while Jalen Brunson added 22 points and 12 assists to help the Knicks post their third win in a row and 10th in the last 12 games.
New York played without OG Anunoby (right foot sprain) for the sixth straight game after he started the team’s first 49 contests. The Knicks also played without Josh Hart (sore right knee) on Thursday.
“Going into the season, you know you’re going to hit stretches like that, and you have to have a strategy for everything,” Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau said of the team’s mindset regarding injured players.
“If we’re in a back-to-back, we worry about the first game. We’ll worry about the second game (on Friday) but stay locked into what we have to do today. If you’re available, great. If not, the next guy has to be ready.”
Towns had 13 points and 10 rebounds before fouling out in the previous encounter against the Cavaliers. Brunson led New York in that contest with 21 points and seven assists.
–Field Level Media
