Donovan Mitchell scored 29 points and the visiting Cleveland Cavaliers set the record for the best start in franchise history with a 131-122 victory over the New Orleans Pelicans on Wednesday night.
Mitchell led a balanced attack while Jarrett Allen added 16 points and 14 rebounds, Caris LeVert scored 16, Evan Mobley scored 15, Darius Garland had 14 and Ty Jerome 11. The 9-0 Cavaliers broke a tie with the 1976-77 team for the best start in the team’s 53 seasons.
Zion Willaimson scored 29 points, Jose Alvarado scored 24, Brandon Ingram had 20, Brandon Boston Jr. had 14, Javonte Green added 11 and Yves Missi 10 to lead the Pelicans.
Allen and Mobley had four points each and Garland and Mitchell each made a 3-pointer as the Cavs broke a 59-all halftime tie with a 16-4 run.
The Pelicans closed within seven before Garland made two 3-pointers and Sam Merrill made one to help Cleveland open a 97-81 lead. New Orleans trimmed the lead to 99-88 at the end of the third quarter.
Georges Niang’s basket started the fourth-quarter scoring before Williamson scored six and Boston added five to get the Pelicans within five points.
The Cavs rebuilt the lead to 12, but Alvarado made consecutive 3-pointers to trim the lead to 112-106 midway through the period.
Mitchell and Allen answered with back-to-back baskets and the lead never shrunk to fewer than six points.
Cleveland scored the first eight points before Alvarado made two 3-pointers to help New Orleans take its first lead at 16-14.
The lead changed hands four more times before six Pelicans scored to help them expand the lead to 32-21.
LeVert scored four of the Cavs’ final eight points and they trimmed the lead to 34-29 at the end of the quarter.
Green made a 3-pointer to start the second-quarter scoring before Cleveland closed within three points. The teams entered halftime tied at 59.