Mitchell says Cavs weren’t focused on LeBron; Clippers dealt another blow — NBA Wrap

Russell Westbrook confirmed flashes of his finest and worst on Monday because the Los Angeles Lakers slumped to a 2-7 file after a 114-100 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers at house.

Westbrook made an instantaneous impression off the bench for the Lakers and completed the sport with 19 factors and 10 assists, though he additionally had seven turnovers in an all-round blended show.

As for Cleveland, it was the Donovan Mitchell and Darius Garland present, with the pair combining for 57 factors after a very robust first half saved the Cavs within the sport.

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The Lakers really led 64-58 at halftime however a scarcity of respect for the ball within the third shortly noticed them fall behind they usually couldn’t get well.

Anthony Davis, who declined to talk with media, additionally had a scorching begin however faltered within the second half, solely managing two factors to complete on 19 together with 12 boards and 4 assists.

LeBron James led the scoring for the Lakers with 27 factors, seven rebounds and 4 assists.

It was a very disappointing consequence given how promising issues seemed early for L.A.

The Lakers made a quick begin on Monday, leaping out to a 21-9 lead after six minutes after taking part in among the basketball they’ve put up all season.

As anticipated, it was L.A.’s massive three doing all of the harm, with James (six factors), Davis (seven factors) and Westbrook (4 factors) all contributing.

Westbrook, who has been much-improved for the Lakers when coming off the bench, continued that pattern early in Monday’s sport.

He had 12 factors and 4 assists off the bench because the Lakers took a 36-30 lead after the primary quarter, with Davis placing up 9 factors, 4 boards and two assists by that time.

As for Cleveland, they had been discovering loads of scoring alternatives on the free-throw line, with Mitchell scoring seven factors alone on the charity stripe within the first quarter.

That continued into the second, with the Lakers main 64-58 by halftime however nonetheless gifting the Cavaliers 23 free-throw makes an attempt, with Mitchell and Garland combining for 15.

L.A.’s massive three additionally maintained the depth within the second quarter, with James, Davis and Westbrook all in double figures for factors by halftime.

The Lakers’ defence, in the meantime, was doing greater than sufficient to make up for any lack of manufacturing elsewhere, holding the Cavaliers to below 40 per cent taking pictures from the sector.

Fouls although remained a difficulty, as did Garland and Mitchell, who mixed to attain 42 of Cleveland’s 58 factors within the first half.

The Cavaliers wanted a fast begin within the third quarter and located it, occurring a 13-2 run because the Lakers went scoreless within the opening 4 minutes.

Cleveland would go on to outscore L.A. 29-16 within the third, taking a 87-80 lead into the ultimate quarter.

While Westbrook led the Lakers with 10 assists by that time, he additionally had a team-high seven turnovers and the Cavaliers had been actually beginning to make him pay for them.

Cleveland had scored 21 factors off L.A.’s 15 turnovers within the first three quarters and one other poor move from Westbrook was then stolen by Dean Wade and was a Cavs 3-pointer.

That prompted the Lakers to name a timeout, now trailing 92-80 however there was seemingly little they may do to cease the Cavaliers, who jumped out to a 98-85 lead with 9 minutes left.

Cleveland simply didn’t let up from there, seeing the Lakers pull all their main gamers from the court docket within the latter phases of the sport.

Funnily sufficient, L.A. then obtained inside 9 factors with two minutes left to threaten to make a sport of it however in the long run the Cavaliers took the win.

Mitchell, a three-time All-Star guard who joined the Cavaliers from the Utah Jazz in September, has scored 30 or extra factors in six of eight video games together with his new workforce.

He stated Cleveland, making an attempt to return to the playoffs for the primary time for the reason that 2017-18 marketing campaign, wasn’t centered on their former star James.

“I grew up a Cavs fan so I’m very aware of LeBron, but I don’t think that was what we brought into the game,” Mitchell stated.

“You’ve always got to have respect for greatness,” he stated, however famous: “At the end of the day, we’re here to win.”

ELSEWHERE …

Elsewhere, Fred VanVleet returned from a three-game harm absence to attain 30 factors and hand out 11 assists to assist the Raptors beat the Chicago Bulls 113-104 in Toronto.

With Toronto main scorer Pascal Siakam sidelined, all 5 Raptors starters scored in double figures.

O.G. Anunoby scored 22 factors and Scottie Barnes put up 19 factors with 10 rebounds because the Raptors bounced again from a heartbreaking 111-110 loss to Dallas on Friday.

DeMar DeRozan scored 20 factors to steer six Bulls gamers in double figures. Nikola Vucevic added 18 factors and grabbed 12 rebounds, however Chicago misplaced a second straight sport.

The Bulls coughed up 17 turnovers resulting in 23 factors for Toronto. But they had been down by only one level after Patrick Williams’s dunk with 4:23 remaining.

The Raptors responded with a three-point play by VanVleet and Anunoby got here up with a steal and a driving dunk as Toronto pulled away once more.

In Memphis, Desmond Bane and Ja Morant mixed for 51 factors because the Grizzlies beat the short-handed Washington Wizards 103-97.

Despite the absence of Washington’s main scorer Bradley Beal, the Wizards seized a fast 9-0 lead earlier than the Grizzlies discovered their vary.

Bane scored 28 factors and Morant added 23 with 9 rebounds and 6 assists for Memphis, who led 57-43 at halftime, pushed the benefit to as many as 23 within the third quarter and turned again the Wizards’ comeback bid within the fourth.

Meanwhile within the late sport, the Jazz claimed one other scalp in defeating the Clippers 110-102 behind 55 mixed factors from Jordan Clarkson and Colin Sexton.

Paul George’s 34 factors led LA, who continues to play with out Kawhi Leonard (knee), whereas the Clippers had been dealt one other blow after Reggie Jackson sustained a knee harm late within the sport.

With John Wall set to relaxation on the second finish of a back-to-back for the Clippers on Tuesday towards Cleveland, it would seemingly depart Tyrone Lue’s workforce and not using a true level guard for the conflict.

ALL RESULTS

CAVS 114 LAKERS 100

BULLS 104 RAPTORS 113

WIZARDS 97 GRIZZLIES 103

JAZZ 110 CLIPPERS 102