WASHINGTON (AP) — Donovan Mitchell scored 24 of his 48 points in the fourth quarter, leading the Cleveland Cavaliers back from a 15-point deficit in the final period to a 130-126 victory over the Washington Wizards on Friday night.
The Cavaliers went 15 of 53 from 3-point range, with Darius Garland going 0 for 11, but Mitchell connected from long range to tie the game at 122. Then he put Cleveland ahead to stay, scoring inside with 60 seconds remaining.
With the Cavaliers still up 124-122, Washington’s Marvin Bagley III rebounded a miss, but Mitchell tied him up, forcing a jump ball. The 6-foot-11 Bagley has 8 inches on Mitchell, but both players mistimed their jumps and Lonzo Ball came up with possession for Cleveland. He made two free throws with 30.9 seconds left.
Mitchell’s layup with 5.9 seconds to play put the Cavaliers up by six.
Cleveland attempted 34 3-pointers in the first half. The Cavaliers didn’t shoot well but were still up 62-60 after two quarters. The third period was a fiasco for Cleveland that included Ball hitting nothing but glass on a breakaway layup attempt, and Nae’Quan Tomlin fouling out with 2:24 left in the period. Tomlin accumulated his six fouls in just 10:05 of playing time.
Washington led by as many as 17 points and was up 100-85 after three.
Mitchell started the fourth with 11 points in just over 2 1/2 minutes, cutting the margin to five with a 3-pointer. He was assessed a technical foul with 5:16 to play after making a layup, and he left the game then. But he quickly returned to play a decisive role down the stretch.
Bub Carrington and CJ McCollum scored 27 points apiece for Washington, and Jamir Watkins added a career-high 15.
Up next
Cavaliers: Host Charlotte on Sunday.
Wizards: At Indiana on Sunday.
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