Donovan Mitchell scored 27 points, James Harden added 20 points, 10 assists and six rebounds, and the Cleveland Cavaliers used a fourth-quarter rally to snap the New Orleans Pelicans’ seven-game home winning streak 111-106 on March 21.
Cleveland (44-27) came back from down as many as 15 points, going on runs of 16-2 and 10-0 in the final quarter to pull ahead.
After an offensively lackluster first three quarters, Harden came alive late. He scored 13 of his points in the final quarter, including making three 3-pointers during the initial Cavaliers run.
Sam Merrill also provided timely plays in Cleveland’s comeback, pulling down three of his 10 rebounds in the fourth quarter and scoring on a crucial bucket at the rim to give the Cavaliers a six-point cushion with 1:24 remaining.
New Orleans (25-47) answered with baskets by Zion Williamson and Dejounte Murray to cut the deficit to one possession.
But Mitchell effectively put the game away for Cleveland with 4 seconds remaining when he scored under contact from Trey Murphy III and made the free throw.
Mitchell’s game-high in scoring made a successful return to the lineup for the guard, who missed Cleveland’s win at Chicago on March 19 after sustaining an eye injury in practice.
He paced five Cavaliers scoring in double figures, with Merrill adding 15 points. Evan Mobley had 18 points and eight rebounds, and Thomas Bryant added 11 points on 5-of-7 shooting off the bench.
Williamson shot 10 of 14 from the floor to lead New Orleans with 25 points. Saddiq Bey shot 4 of 8 from 3-point range on the way to 19 points, and Murray posted a double-double with 12 points and 10 assists. Yves Missi came off the bench to grab a game-high 10 rebounds.
Murphy’s 10 points were the season-long Pelicans scoring leader’s lowest output since scoring just eight points against Memphis on Jan. 30.
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Donovan Mitchell, James Harden lead furious Cavs rally to beat Pelicans
Reporting by Field Level Media, Akron Beacon Journal / Akron Beacon Journal
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