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Cavs score, recap vs. Suns | Cleveland Cavaliers rout Phoenix for win No. 36
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- Cavs score, recap vs. Suns | Cleveland Cavaliers rout Phoenix for win No. 36
CLEVELAND — The Cavaliers improved their league-best record with some matinee basketball Monday and a 118-92 win over the Phoenix Suns as part of the NBA's Martin Luther King Jr. Day schedule.
Monday's game had a 3:30 p.m. tipoff.
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The Cavs (36-6) retained the NBA's top record after splitting their two games against the Oklahoma City Thunder . The Suns entered Monday's game 21-20 and fighting to stay above .500 in the West.
Check back throughout Monday's game for live score updates, analysis and highlights.
Cavaliers beat Phoenix Suns
The Cavs have beaten Phoenix and will keep the best record in the NBA for at least a few more days.
Tristan Thompson gave the people what they wanted — a garbage time 3-point attempt — but air-balled it before laughing down the court.
Cavs up big late in fourth quarter
The Cavs are gonna be 36-6. They're up 105-76 with 7:35 left. Both teams will likely be pulling all their starters, or at least they should.
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Everything has gone right for the Cavs today. Moondog even just sank his no-look, half-court shot attempt during the latest timeout.
Donovan Mitchell has been pouring it on, and he's up to 33 points.
Cavs, Suns score update: Cleveland leads by 23 entering fourth quarter
Kevin Durant has put up 23 points and seven rebounds but, other than that, this Phoenix offense has been stagnant, and the Cavs will take a 93-70 lead into the fourth quarter.
Donovan Mitchel drilled a 3 from the corner with one second left in the third quarter. He now has 22 points, five assists and three rebounds.
Tristan Thompson, the lone Cavalier not to score today, does have seven rebounds and three assists.
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Cavs cruising over Suns with huge lead in third quarter
The Cavs are easily en route to win No. 36 this season, now leading 80-62 midway through three quarters.
Spacing has allowed the Cavs to break through, and Phoenix isn't keeping up right now.
Donovan Mitchell has 16 points and five assists. Darius Garland is still stuck on 14 points but is up to seven assists. Jarrett Allen has a double-double with 12 points and 11 rebounds.
Max Strus , in his first start of the season, has hit three of his seven 3-point attempts and has nine points.
Cavaliers lead Suns at halftime
The Cavs will take a 59-46 lead into halftime against the Suns.
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Darius Garland has a game-high 14 points and two assists. Donovan Mitchell has 10 points with four assists.
Kevin Durant has 13 points and five rebounds for the Suns.
The Cavs have still utilized a 10-man rotation with Mobley , LeVert and Okoro out, and the bench has stepped up and played well thus far to outpace the Suns' three-headed monster of Durant, Bradley Beal and Devin Booker . The Cavs have seven players with at least five points.
Jaylon Tyson getting extra minutes vs. Suns
Cavaliers rookie Jaylon Tyson is seeing some extra run today and making the most of it with five points and a steal in almost seven minutes thus far. Tyson has also led to two Suns turnovers with his defensive pressure.
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The Cavs lead 53-44 with 2:19 to go in the first half.
Cleveland Cavaliers guard Darius Garland (10) dribbles around center Jarrett Allen (31) and Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker (1) on Jan. 20, 2025, in Cleveland, Ohio.
Darius Garland passes Mark Price for third all-time among Cavaliers 3-point leaders
Quickly, the Cavs have created some separation and lead 42-32 with 6:52 left in the second quarter.
Donovan Mitchell and Darius Garland have led the charge for Cleveland, now both with 10 points.
Garland also hit a couple of 3s, giving him 804 in his career, which moves him past Mark Price (802 3s) and into sole possession of third place on the Cavs' all-time list, now behind only LeBron James and Kevin Love .
Jan 20, 2025; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell (45) dribbles beside Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker (1) in the first quarter at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-Imagn Images
Who's winning the Cavaliers-Suns game?
The Cavs and Suns are tied 27-27 after the first quarter.
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It's been a game in which both teams seem to be feeling the other one out a bit early on. Kevin Durant has a team-high six points for the Suns. Bradley Beal and Tyus Jones both have five points.
The Cavs have nine players who have between three and five points. They've been about as evenly spread scoring-wise as possible.
Atkinson said pregame that even with Mobley, Okoro and LeVert out, they'd still go 10-deep. Ten players have already checked in, with Tristan Thompson being the lone Cavalier not to score.
Jan 20, 2025; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers forward Georges Niang (20) defends Phoenix Suns forward Kevin Durant (35) in the first quarter at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-Imagn Images
Cavs, Suns score: Cleveland jumps out to lead in first quarter with Max Strus in starting lineup
Max Strus is in the starting lineup for the first time this season with Isaac Okoro and Caris LeVert both out, and Dean Wade starting in place of Evan Mobley.
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With 6:45 left in the first quarter, the Cavs are holding onto a 14-13 lead. Strus hit his only 3-point attempt thus far, and all five Cavs starters have already scored. For the Suns, Kevin Durant has four points, including a nice drive to the basket that led to a layup.
Below is some pregame information.
Cavs injury report; Evan Mobley, Isaac Okoro, Caris LeVert out
Cavaliers head coach Kenny Atkinson provided some injury updates prior to Monday's game against the Suns.
The Cavs will be without Evan Mobley, Isaac Okoro and Caris LeVert
Forward Mobley (calf) is out, but Atkinson doesn't see it as a long-term injury.
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"I think it's going to be day-to-day," Atkinson said. "It's not like a bad strain. … I think it's going to be a pretty short thing."
This would be the second game Mobley has missed.
Forward/guard Okoro is out with a shoulder injury that the Cavs believe is impacting his shooting. They'd like to try to get him back to 100 percent before increasing his minutes in the rotation.
"This one's a little bit trickier, right?" Atkinson said. "We want him in a great place when he comes back. … I do think when he did come back, [he] was still bothered al little and he's such a tough guy, he wanted to play through it, did a great job on the defensive end, but I think it affects your shooting a little bit."
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Okoro missed eight games before returning in a limited capacity. He then missed the Cavs' game Jan. 18 in Minneosta, and the team's goal is to ensure the issue isn't impacting his shooting before he steps on the floor again.
The Cavs have also announced that LeVert, who was questionable for Monday's game with a wrist issue, is out as well.
Cleveland Cavaliers guard Ty Jerome (2) celebrates his basket during the third quarter against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Jan. 18, 2025, in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Cleveland Cavaliers broadcast information. How can I watch on TV, listen on radio or stream the Cavs, Suns game?
Monday's game can be watched locally on the FanDuel Sports Network . It can be heard on the radio via WMMS (100.7-FM) and WTAM (1100-AM).
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Cleveland Cavaliers score vs. Phoenix Suns recap
