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Mitchell steers Cavs as NBA Cup champion Bucks suffer hangover
AP • December 21st, 2024 5:00 pm
Photo: AP
Donovan Mitchell scored 27 points while Darius Garland added 16 as Cleveland moved to 15-1 at home with a 124-101 win over Milwaukee.
The Bucks were playing for the first time since winning the NBA Cup in Las Vegas on Tuesday.
Cleveland are 3-0 this season against Milwaukee, who were without All-Star guard Damian Lillard because of a strained calf.
Evan Mobley scored 15 and Cleveland made 20 three-pointers while pushing their league-best record to 24-4.
Giannis Antetokounmpo posted 33 points and 14 rebounds for the Bucks, who may need a couple more days to shake off their collective Cup hangover.
With Lillard sidelined, the Bucks were missing their second-best player and 25.7 points per game. Milwaukee's starting guards - Andre Jackson Jr. and AJ Green - shot a combined 0 of 9.
In Philadelphia, Joel Embiid had 34 points and nine assists after missing a game because of a sinus fracture to help the 76ers beat the Charlotte Hornets 108-98.
Wearing a protective 'Phantom of the Opera' mask, Embiid was introduced to a roaring ovation.
Photo: AP
Embiid scored 22 points in the first three quarters to lead the 76ers to their fourth win in five games. Philadelphia are still well under .500 at 9-16, but a recent hot streak has them at least within striking distance of a play-in tournament berth.
Ravaged by injuries this season, Embiid has only played seven games mostly due to knee soreness.
Vasilije Micic led the Hornets with 20 points. They lost their fourth straight game and have been beaten for the 12th time in 13 games.
Jalen Williams, meanwhile, scored a season-high 33 points and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander registered 25 as the Oklahoma City Thunder beat the Miami Heat 104-97 for their seventh-straight victory.
Lu Dort scored 14 points and Isaiah Hartenstein had 13 points and 18 rebounds for the Thunder, who improved to 22-5 - the second-best record in the NBA and tops in the Western Conference.
Oklahoma City's winning streak is alive because the NBA Cup final, which they lost to Milwaukee in Las Vegas, doesn't count as a regular-season game.
Tyler Herro had 28 points and 12 rebounds for Miami, who got 17 points and 10 rebounds from Bam Adebayo.
The Heat lost Jimmy Butler to illness in the first quarter and briefly lost Adebayo in the third quarter when he got elbowed over an eye by teammate Jaime Jaquez Jr.
Adebayo needed seven stitches but returned.
