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Cavs score 83 points in dominant first half vs Warriors, improve to 10-0 this season
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- Cavs score 83 points in dominant first half vs Warriors, improve to 10-0 this season
CLEVELAND — The Cavaliers remained the NBA's only undefeated team this season with a 136-117 triumph Friday night against the Golden State Warriors at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse .
The Cavs are now 10-0 after setting or tying regular-season team records during a dominant first half.
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With Wednesday's 131-122 win at the New Orleans Pelicans , the Cavs improved to 9-0 and set a record for the best start to a season in franchise history. Cavs boss Kenny Atkinson became the first head coach in league history to win his first nine games with a new team. Atkinson spent the past three seasons as an assistant coach with the Warriors (7-2) and helped them capture an NBA title in 2022.
Tipoff occurred at 7:40 p.m. Friday in downtown Cleveland. Here are how our updates unfolded throughout the game .
More on Kenny Atkinson with the Cavs : New Cleveland Cavaliers coach is a 'high energy' hoops addict, Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr says
Cleveland Cavaliers coach Kenny Atkinson reacts in the first quarter against the Golden State Warriors on Friday, Nov. 8, 2024, in Cleveland.
Cleveland Cavs led Golden State Warriors 123-103 with 4:44 left in the fourth quarter. Then Darius Garland hit back-to-back 3-pointers
What happens when virtually the entire second half is garbage time? Well, things can get a little sloppy.
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The Cavs experienced this after earning an 83-42 halftime advantage. They were outscored 41-29 in the third quarter and 20-11 in roughly the first eight minutes of the first quarter. They led 123-103 during a timeout with 4:44 left to play.
Point guard Darius Garland made 3-pointers on consecutive possessions with 3:57 and 3:35 remaining to boost himself to a game-high 27 points and put an exclamation point on the victory. Forward Evan Mobley scored 23 points. Garland's primary backup, Ty Jerome , had 20 points against his former Warriors teammates.
Forward Jonathan Kuminga led the Warriors with 21 points.
Cavs lead 115-91 with 9:45 left in the fourth quarter
The Cavs led 115-91 when Atkinson called timeout with 9:45 left in the fourth quarter. The Cavs have been outscored 49-32 thus far in the second half, but they led by 41 points at halftime.
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Cavs center Jarrett Allen recorded his seventh double-double this season and fourth in a row. At this juncture, he has 11 points and 10 rebounds.
Cavs lead Warriors 112-83 at the end of the third quarter
The Cavs led the Warriors 112-83 at the end of the third quarter. The 29-point lead is miniscule compared with the 41-point halftime advantage the Cavaliers had established.
Through three quarters, Garland led the Cavs with 19 points and six assists. Mobley had 18 points, and small forward Isaac Okoro had 16. Six Cavs players had reached double figures in scoring.
Cavs lead Warriors 108-72 with 2:17 left in the third quarter. What is the Cavaliers' record for most points in a game?
The Cavs led the Warriors 108-72 with 2:17 left in the third quarter. Which leads to this question: What is the regular-season franchise record for most points scored in a game?
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It's 154 points, but it took the Cavs four overtimes to reach the total against the Los Angeles Lakers on Jan. 29, 1980.
For a game ending in regulation, Cleveland's scoring record is 148 points. The Cavs set the record on Dec. 17, 1991, against the Miami Heat .
Cavs lead Warriors 91-55 with 8:23 left in the third quarter
The Warriors outscored the Cavs 13-8 in roughly the first four minutes of the second half.
The problem for Golden State, though, is Cleveland had built a 41-point halftime lead. And the Cavs led 91-55 during a timeout with 8:23 remaining in the third quarter.
At this stage of the game, Okoro lead the Cavs with 16 points on 6-of-8 shooting from the floor (4 of 6 on 3-pointers). Mobley is next with 14 points.
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Cavs tie regular-season record for points in a half and lead Warriors 83-42 at halftime
The Cavs tied a regular-season franchise record for points in a half en route to seizing an 83-42 halftime lead against the Warriors. They also scored 83 points in a half on Jan. 2, 2023, against the Chicago Bulls and on Jan. 15, 1993, at the Indiana Pacers .
Cleveland's 41-point halftime lead is the largest in club history.
The Cavs were red hot from the field through two quarters, shooting 28 of 43 (65.1%), including 14 of 22 on 3-pointers (63.6%). The 14 3-pointers is tied for the second most in a half in team history.
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Okoro and Jerome, formerly of the Warriors, led the Cavs in the first half with 13 points apiece.
Cavs lead Warriors 39-22 at the end of the first quarter
The Cavs held a 39-22 advantage against the Warriors through one quarter after beginning the game on a 20-2 run.
Mobley led the Cavs with eight points, followed by Garland with six points.
As a team, the Cavs went 12-of-18 shooting from the field (7 of 10 on 3-pointers) during the first quarter.
Kuminga came off the bench and led the Warriors with nine points in the opening quarter. The Warriors shot 9 of 22 from the floor (2 of 9 on 3-pointers) in the first quarter.
Nov 8, 2024; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers forward Evan Mobley (4) dunks in the first quarter against the Golden State Warriors at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-Imagn Images
Cavs lead Warriors 29-14 with 3:23 left in the first quarter
The Cavs led the Warriors 29-14 when Atkinson called timeout with 3:23 remaining in the opening quarter.
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At this juncture, Garland and Mobley led the Cavs with six points piece.
Warriors forward Draymond Green gets into early foul trouble vs. Cavs
Warriors starting forward Draymond Green picked up his second foul of the game with 6:21 left in the first quarter and checked out with 4:49 remaining. Green fouled Mobley both times.
Nov 4, 2024; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers guard Darius Garland (10) celebrates after hitting a three point basket during the second half against the Milwaukee Bucks at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images
Cavs begin game with 20-2 run vs. Warriors
The Cavs wasted no time taking control of the game.
They started the game on a 20-2 run capped by Garland's 3-pointer with 7:33 left in the first quarter. The Warriors ended the 20-2 run when forward Andrew Wiggins made a 3-pointer with 7:08 left in the first quarter to make it 20-5 Cavs.
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The Cavs led 14-2 when the Warriors called a timeout with 8:42 left in the first quarter. They went ahead 15-2 when Mobley made the second of two free throws.
Garland and guard Donovan Mitchell made 3-pointers with 10:06 and 9:14 remaining in the opening quarter, respectively, and the Cavs went ahead 13-2.
Here is some pregame information :
Cleveland Cavaliers have earned historic start to the 2024-25 season. What is the NBA record for best start to a season?
Until this year, the 1976-77 Cavs had owned the best start to a season in team history by going 8-0.
The 2024-25 Cavs are just the second team in NBA history to start 9-0 and score 110-plus points in each game. It hadn't happened since the 1960-61 Philadelphia Warriors accomplished the feat.
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So what is the record for the best start to a season in league history? The Warriors set the record by going 24-0 to begin the 2015-16 season. Of course, the LeBron James -led Cavs rallied from a 3-1 deficit in the NBA Finals to defeat the Warriors for the NBA title the same season. But the Warriors beat the Cavs in the 2015, 2017 and 2018 Finals.
More on the Cavs' hot start to 2024-25: 'You've got an All-Star guy': Darius Garland has Cleveland Cavaliers offense humming
Cleveland Cavs vs. Golden State Warriors injury report. Will Draymond Green play?
The Cavs listed forward Dean Wade (illness) and guard Sam Merrill (left ankle soreness) as questionable to play Friday night. But about an hour before the game, the Cavs announced Wade and Merrill are available to face the Warriors.
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Wade had been starting at small forward in place of Max Strus , who's out with a sprained right ankle. However, Okoro will remain in the starting lineup at small forward after Wade missed the past two games.
The Warriors listed forward Draymond Green (right knee contusion), guard De'Anthony Melton (right low back strain) and guard Brandin Podziemski (illness) as questionable. But all three are available to play against the Cavs. Green, who worked out during Golden State's optional shootaround Friday morning in Cleveland, played in the Warriors' first eight games. Melton missed the past five games, and Podziemski missed one.
Cleveland is a homecoming game of sorts for Akron-born Warriors star Stephen Curry . He shares a birthplace with LeBron James
Never forget Warriors 10-time All-Star guard Stephen Curry and Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James were born in the same Akron hospital a few years apart.
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Curry grew up in Charlotte, North Carolina, after he was born on March 14, 1988, at Akron City Hospital when his father, Dell, played for the Cavaliers for one season (1987-88). James was born at Akron City Hospital on Dec. 30, 1984, famously grew up in the Rubber City and graduated from St. Vincent-St. Mary High School in 2003 months before the Cavs drafted him first overall.
Last year, Curry brought his Underrated Golf Tour to his birthplace of Akron and discussed his mission to foster diversity in golf during a one-on-one interview with the Akron Beacon Journal .
How can I watch, listen, stream Cavs vs. Warriors game?
Friday night's game can be watched locally on the FanDuel Sports Network. It's being broadcast over the radio on WMMS (100.7-FM) and WTAM (1100-AM).
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Nate Ulrich can be reached at nulrich@thebeaconjournal.com. On Twitter: @ByNateUlrich .
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Cavs improve to 10-0 with dominant first half, win over Warriors
