CLEVELAND — The Cavaliers inched closer toward securing the No. 1 playoff seed in the Eastern Conference with a 127-122 win Sunday against a familiar face. Their magic number is now four, with the defending NBA champion Boston Celtics four games behind and seven regular-season games left on Cleveland’s schedule.
The Cavs played the Los Angeles Clippers on Sunday for the second time this season, but for the first time in 2024-25 Cleveland encountered its former head coach who guided it to the 2016 NBA title. Health issues forced Clippers coach Tyronn Lue to miss LA’s 132-119 win over the Cavs on March 18. Lue not only holds a unique place in Cleveland sports history, but he also has connection with Cavs coach Kenny Atkinson, a Clippers assistant for one season (2020-21).
Here’s how Cavs (60-15) versus Clippers (42-32) unfolded through our updates at Rocket Arena:
Cavs defeat Clippers 127-122. Here’s how Donovan Mitchell sealed the win with a hustle play
Coming out of a timeout with 14.9 seconds remaining, the Clippers fouled Cavs point guard Darius Garland with 13.1 seconds left. Garland made two free throws, and Cleveland went ahead 127-122.
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Then Clippers guard James Harden attempted a long pass to forward Derrick Jones Jr. Cavs guard Donovan Mitchell stole the pass as if he were playing free safety and saved the ball from going out of bounds. The Cavs gained possession, and the clock ran out.
Harden made two free throws to slice the Cavs’ lead to 125-122 with 19 seconds left, placing pressure on Garland during his final trip to the foul line. Harden finished with 24 points.
Center Jarrett Allen led the Cavs with 25 points, followed by Mitchell’s 24, forward Evan Mobley’s 22 and Garland’s 19. Allen and Mitchell had 12 rebounds apiece. Mitchell and Garland each dished out seven assists.
Forward Norman Powell scored a game-high 34 points for the Clippers.
This is the third time in Cavs history the team has reached 60 wins in the regular season. The club went 66-16 in 2008-09 and 61-21 in 2009-10.
Donovan Mitchell wanted to win, so he stole it from the Clippers’ Norman Powell in the clutch
With 50.1 seconds left and Powell barreling down the floor with the ball off a Cavs turnover, Mitchell stole the ball from Powell. The Cavs called timeout. It was a clutch play (and one of Mitchell’s four steals) to keep Cleveland ahead and give it possession to chew up time.
Mitchell proceeded to turn the ball over by it, though, and Clippers guard Kris Dunn drained a 3-pointer to cut LA’s deficit to 124-120 with 29.8 seconds left.
Then Dunn fouled out by fouling Garland. Garland split two free throws with 23.4 seconds left, giving the Cavs a 125-120 edge.
Cavs lead 122-114 with 1:42 left in the fourth quarter vs. Clippers
The Cavs responded to the Clippers cutting their deficit to eight points with an alley-oop from Mitchell to Allen and Mobley blocking a hook shot by center Ivica Zubac, who posted 14 points and 13 rebounds.
The Cavs led 122-114 with 1:42 remaining.
Clippers rally and cut Cavs’ lead to 116-108 with 5:10 left in the fourth quarter
The Clippers trailed 116-108 after Dunn made a wide-open 3-pointer with 5:11 left in the fourth quarter, compelling the Cavs to call timeout with 5:10 remaining.
The Clippers have rallied in the fourth quarter, outscoring the Cavs 20-11 thus far. The Cavs led by 17 points entering the fourth quarter. Now the game is tight.
Cavs led Clippers 105-88 at the end of the third quarter
The Cavs led the Clippers 105-88 at the end of the third quarter. Cleveland outscored LA 37-24 in the quarter after leading 68-64 at halftime.
Mitchell capped the Cavs’ impressive quarter by nailing a 3-pointer over Clippers wing Ben Simmons with 2.9 seconds left.
Mobley carried the Cavs to a large degree in the third quarter, scoring 15 of his 22 points.
Cavaliers lead Clippers 94-80 with 3:25 remaining in the third quarter
The Cavs led the Clippers 94-80 during an LA challenge on an out-of-bounds call with 3:25 left in the third quarter.
The Cavs have outscored the Clippers 26-16 thus far in the third quarter. Mobley had 11 third-quarter points at this juncture, leading the Cavs scoring in the second half.
Clippers forward Norman Powell shows he’s human after all, and the Cavs pounce
Powell has been tormenting the Cavs, scoring 27 points on 10-of-17 shooting from the field thus far.
Yet, Powell missed a pair of free throws with 6:58 left in the third quarter, and Cavs big men Mobley and Allen piled on with dunks on assists from small forward Max Strus.
The sequence resulted in the Cavs leading 86-74 with 6:17 left in the third quarter and the Clippers calling timeout.
Cavs lead Clippers 82-74 with 8 minutes left in the third quarter
The Cavs led the Clippers 82-74 with 8 minutes left in the third quarter, when Mobley produced a three-point play.
At this point, the Cavs have outscored the Clippers 14-10 to begin the second half.
Cleveland Cavs lead Los Angeles Clippers 68-64 at halftime
The Cavs led the Clippers 68-64 at halftime despite Powell making life uncomfortable for Cleveland in the second quarter.
Powell scored 20 of his 24 points in the second quarter. He is the main reason the Clippers outscored the Cavs 39-31 in the second quarter after Cleveland led 37-25 at the end of the opening quarter.
Allen led the Cavs with 14 points in the first half, followed by Mitchell (nine points) and Garland (eight points) and small forwards De’Andre Hunter (eight points) and Isaac Okoro (eight points).
Isaac Okoro’s quick redemption helps Cavaliers take 52-43 lead vs. Clippers
The Cavs led the Clippers 52-43 during an LA timeout with 6:10 left in the second quarter.
What caused the timeout? Okoro made 3-pointers with 8:21 and 6:10 remaining before halftime.
Okoro was wide open for those shots, and the Clippers can’t be totally blamed for ignoring him to some extent. With 9:44 left in the second quarter, Okoro missed a wide-open corner 3 by firing the ball completely over the rim. He quickly redeemed himself, though, with his next two attempts from deep.
Cavs lead Clippers 37-25 at the end of the first quarter
The Cavs used 8-0 and 16-0 runs to capture a 37-25 lead against the Clippers at the end of the first quarter.
Mitchell led the Cavs with seven points in the opening quarter, followed by guard Sam Merrill (six points) and Allen (six points).
Harden led the Clippers with eight points in the first quarter.
Cleveland Cavs use their second significant run of the first quarter to seize 26-17 lead vs. Los Angeles Clippers
Harden cut LA’s deficit to 18-17 by producing a three-point play with 5:08 left in the first quarter.
The Cavs answered with their second 8-0 run of the opening quarter and led 26-17 when Lue called a timeout.
Mitchell produced his own three-point play, Merrill registered a steal and drained a 3-pointer on the other end of the floor and Mitchell made a circus layup to prompt LA’s timeout.
(See above about Cleveland extending its second 8-0 run of the first quarter.)
Cavs lead Clippers 13-8 amid 8-0 run by Cleveland
After falling behind 8-5, the Cavs went on an 8-0 run and led 13-8 with 6:52 left in the first quarter.
Mobley made a 3-pointer on the game’s first possession and later added two free throws to begin the Cavs’ 8-0 run. At this early stage, Mobley is pacing Cleveland with five points.
Here is some pregame information:
Cavs injury report vs LA Clippers
Coming off Friday’s 133-122 loss at the Detroit Pistons, the Cavs have ruled out point guard Ty Jerome (left knee tendinitis) and rookie wing Jaylon Tyson (left knee bone bruise).
Here is what Atkinson said about Jerome’s injury: “Very little [concern]. I just think he’s banged up a little. He had the ankle surgery last year. Not to go deep. Ankles, knees, I guess, they’re related. One can kind of relate to the other, so I think it is just a wear and tear of this point in the season, but I don’t anticipate this being a long-term thing at all.”
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Los Angeles Clippers injury report vs Cleveland Cavaliers
The Clippers have ruled out six-time All-Star and two-time NBA champion Kawhi Leonard (right knee injury management) along with fellow forward Jordan Miller (left hamstring). Leonard scored a game-high 33 points against the Cavs earlier this month.
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Cleveland Cavaliers broadcast information. How can I watch on TV, listen on radio or stream the Cavs vs Clippers game?
Sunday’s game was televised locally by the FanDuel Sports Network. It could be heard on the radio via WMMS (100.7-FM) and WTAM (1100-AM).
What is the rest of the Cleveland Cavs’ regular-season schedule?
The Cavs have seven games left in the regular season, with the finale set for April 13 at home.
- New York Knicks at 7 p.m. Wednesday
- at San Antonio Spurs at 8 p.m. Friday
- Sacramento Kings at 6 p.m. Sunday
- Chicago Bulls at 7 p.m. April 8
- at Indiana Pacers at 7 p.m. April 10
- at Knicks at 7:30 p.m. April 11
- Pacers at 1 p.m. April 13
The Celtics, who are in second place in the East and chasing the Cavs, have eight regular-season games remaining.
Nate Ulrich can be reached at [email protected]. On Twitter: @ByNateUlrich.
