North Charlotte Today

The Cleveland Cavaliers maintained their dominant form with a 116-102 victory over the Charlotte Hornets on Saturday at Spectrum Center. Despite facing a top-ranked opponent and dealing with multiple injuries, the Hornets displayed resilience throughout the game.

Brandon Miller led the Hornets with 25 points, marking his tenth consecutive game scoring over 20 points in his first or second NBA season. DaQuan Jeffries contributed 17 points, just one point shy of his career best, while Josh Green scored a season-high 16 points. Isaiah Wong added nine points in his team debut.

Evan Mobley was instrumental for the Cavaliers, achieving career highs with 41 points and six three-pointers. He also recorded ten rebounds and three blocks. According to StatMuse, Mobley joined Kevin Durant as one of only two players under 25 years old to achieve such stats in a single game.

The Cavaliers quickly established control in the first quarter, leading by 40-18 after shooting an impressive 76.2%. Mobley alone outscored the Hornets during this period with a personal best of 23 points. However, Charlotte responded by winning the next two quarters and reducing the deficit to four points midway through the fourth quarter before an offensive foul halted their momentum.

With five key players unavailable due to injuries, including centers or small-ball center options, Charlotte had limited options at that position. The team adapted by using Taj Gibson alongside lineups consisting mainly of guards and wings.

Despite conceding heavily in the first quarter, Charlotte's defense improved significantly afterward, restricting Cleveland to just over 41% shooting from the field for the remainder of the game. The Hornets also capitalized on fast-break opportunities, doubling their average output in this area.

Hornets Head Coach Charles Lee praised his team's competitive spirit despite not securing a win: “Obviously not a great first quarter… and I thought that our guys just continued to stick with it.”

Looking ahead, Charlotte will face Indiana Pacers on Sunday as they aim to recover from this defeat.