The Cleveland Cavaliers maintained their unbeaten streak with a 120-109 win over the Orlando Magic. Darius Garland led with 25 points, while Donovan Mitchell contributed 22. This victory marks Cleveland’s best start since 2016, when they reached the NBA Finals.
The Cavaliers are currently the only undefeated team in the Eastern Conference.
Orlando faced Cleveland without Paolo Banchero, who is sidelined due to a torn right oblique. Before his injury, Banchero was averaging impressive stats with 29 points, 8.8 rebounds, and 5.6 assists per game. Jalen Suggs stepped up for the Magic, scoring a career-high 28 points along with eight rebounds and seven assists.
In the third quarter, Cleveland’s bench players Caris LeVert, Sam Merrill, and Georges Niang hit crucial three-pointers, extending their lead to 17 points by the fourth quarter. The Cavaliers have been dominant in recent games, boasting a 30-7 record in Mitchell’s last 37 regular-season appearances since January.
Meanwhile, the Oklahoma City Thunder also remained unbeaten after defeating the Portland Trail Blazers 137-114. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored an impressive 30 points in just 28 minutes of play. Jalen Williams added another 22 points for Oklahoma City.
The Thunder pulled away decisively in the third quarter after being tied at halftime. They outscored Portland by a significant margin of 38-17 during this period. Jerami Grant led Portland with 17 points while Deandre Ayton contributed another 14.
The Minnesota Timberwolves edged out a thrilling victory against the Denver Nuggets with a score of 119-116. Anthony Edwards made a crucial floater with just under half a minute remaining to secure the win for Minnesota.
Tight Finish for Timberwolves
Rudy Gobert sealed the game by making two free throws in the final moments. Edwards finished with an impressive tally of 29 points while Gobert added another double-double performance with 17 points and 14 rebounds.
Nikola Jokic nearly led Denver to victory but missed a potential game-tying shot in the closing seconds. Aaron Gordon was Denver’s top scorer with an impressive performance of his own, contributing both offensively and defensively throughout this intense matchup.
This series of games highlights strong performances from various teams early in their seasons. Each team showcased resilience and skill as they continue to build momentum moving forward.