Los Angeles, October 28 (BUS): Colin Sexton scored 26 points, Darius Garland added 16 points, and the Cleveland Cavaliers led all-half by defeating the Los Angeles Clippers 92-79 on Wednesday evening.
It was the Cavs’ first win over the Clippers since March 13, 2016, the Associated Press reports.
Sexton took a quick break in the second quarter and delivered a heavy blow to Nicholas Batum that caught LeBron James’ attention.
“Oh my god Young Bull!” James tweeted using the nickname Sexton. “With the left too.”
“He wasn’t expecting that,” Sexton joked.
“I was just trying to put the ball in. The coach often told me to go to the basket,” Sexton said. “I was just going and taking off.”
Evan Mobley scored 12 points and 10 rebounds in his homecoming. The former Southern California star who finished third in the draft has scored in double digits in all five games so far.
“I feel so happy to be back home,” Mobley said. “I’ve had a lot of cheers from my family and I feel like playing in front of them is great.”
Mobley made an impression, too. He dunked over Ivica Zubac and then blocked his 7-foot teammate on a drive-in in the first quarter.
Batum scored a season-high 16 points, and Reggie Jackson added 16 points to the Clippers on a night Paul George struggled.
He missed his first seven shots and finished 6 of 20, went 0 for 8 from a 3-point range, and has 12 points and 10 rebounds to go with four fouls. George, along with fellow freshmen Pattom and Jackson, failed to score in the first quarter.
ZiwiPeak dipping scored on consecutive possessions to get the Clippers within four to fourth starts. But Cleveland outscored them 14-4 to extend their lead to 16 points.
The Clippers were coming off a 30-point defeat by Portland on Monday, when they had 21 steals, 37 assists and forced 30 turns.
This team did not appear against the Cavs.
LA shot 31 of 87 was 9 of 41 from a 3-point range. Cleveland didn’t do much better, scoring 33 of 81 and making 3 of 20 three-pointers. But the Cavs dominated the paint, 48-34, and the bench beat the Los Angeles reserves, 27-18.
“We left a bit on the table offensively, but you can’t beat what these guys are doing on the ground defensively now,” said CAFs coach JB Bickerstaff. “Our guys sacrifice whatever moment to go to win the basketball game.”
After the season opener 0-2, Cleveland won for the third time in a row. The Cavs snapped a total slip of seven games and a four-game losing streak to the Clippers.
“They make up who we are and how we’re going to play,” Bickerstaff said. “We’re early, so I don’t want to move in here, but their attitude was trying to quench that thirst. That’s the most impressive thing for me.”
Three times the clippers closed within three in the third. Jackson hit three in a row taking them to 63-62.
Earlier, veterans Kevin Love and Ricky Rubio took a 7-0 lead that included Lamar Stevens’ win over Love to push Cleveland’s lead into double figures, 63-53.
The Cavs led by 15 points before George made his first basket in Game Two. He hit three consecutive times and Jackson earned his first points during a 17-9 round that ended the first inning with Cleveland leading 47-40.
Hints
Cavaliers: Mobley will need more tickets again on Friday when his family and friends come to see him against the Lakers. … Garrett Allen scored four points and eight rebounds after a double in his last two games. …J. Isaac Okoro (left hamstring strain) sat outside.
Clippers: Their only victory so far has been against the Blazers.
the following
Cavaliers: Play the Lakers on Friday as part of their five-game trip.
Clippers: Visit Portland on Friday for their second game on the road this season.