The Cleveland Cavaliers had to survive a lot more than they should have, but they still walked out of Brooklyn with a 125-121 win.
What looked like a comfortable night turned tense in a hurry. Cleveland built a huge cushion, then spent the closing minutes trying to keep the Nets from finishing off a comeback that got way too close for comfort.
The biggest issues were easy to spot. The Cavs turned it over 23 times, and they missed several chances to put the game away before things got dicey. For a team that has already opened the season in sloppier fashion than it wants, this was another messy stretch.
Cleveland came out leaning on its frontcourt. Evan Mobley opened aggressively, knocking down a pair of three-pointers and adding a smooth finish in the paint in the first quarter.
Jarrett Allen followed the same script he used in Philadelphia on opening night, giving the Cavs another strong early burst from the bigs. The team has clearly made it a priority to get those two involved right away.
Allen even connected on his first three-pointer since December of 2025.
The shot-making was a much better story than it was in the season opener. After going just 7-for-29 from deep in that game, the Cavs started tonight 10-of-17 from three in the first quarter alone. That kind of rhythm made everything look cleaner.
Cleveland carried a 14-point lead into halftime, with Mobley and Allen tied for the team lead at 13 points apiece.
Then came the shaky finish. Brooklyn turned the game into a track meet of sorts, as the Cavs coughed it up eight times in the quarter and the Nets buried eight three-pointers. Cleveland’s offense stalled, the lead shrank fast, and a 22-point advantage was down to two with fewer than 10 seconds left.
That was far too close for comfort, but the Cavs escaped with the win anyway.
Michael Porter Jr. led Brooklyn with 28 points, while Julius Randle and Egor Demin combined for 43.
Cleveland is now 1-1 and will host the Minnesota Timberwolves on Monday.
In Other News...
Mario Hezonja Already Gives The Cavs A Bench Weapon They Needed
Mario Hezonjas first game back in the NBA came with the kind of confidence the Cavaliers have been looking for on the bench. After six years away, he stepped in for Cleveland and immediately looked comfortable attacking mismatches, giving the offense a different look and providing support around the teams top scorers. Hezonja described his job simply enough: help teammates like Donovan Mitchell and James Harden by making life a little easier for them.
For a Cavs team trying to balance immediate results with bigger-picture health, that kind of presence can matter. Head coach Kenny Atkinson singled out Hezonjas performance as a positive even in a loss, which says plenty about the early impression he made. Cleveland does not need him to be a headline act, only a usable bench option who can change a stretch of a game, and his debut suggested there may be more there than a one-night cameo. [Read more 🡒]
Cavs Win Couldnt Hide A Late Problem Fans Already Fear
The Cavaliers opened their home schedule with a 125-121 win over the Brooklyn Nets, and for most of the night it looked like a comfortable one. Cleveland built a sizeable halftime cushion behind strong work from Donovan Mitchell, Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley, then spent much of the second half trying to keep Brooklyn from turning the game into something messier than it should have been.
Instead, the fourth quarter brought the sort of nervy finish that can linger for a team with bigger ambitions. The Nets kept letting fly from deep and made a real run at erasing the gap, forcing Cleveland to answer possession by possession before the Cavs finally steadied themselves at the line in the closing moments. The win counts, but the late wobble is the kind of early-season warning sign fans notice right away. [Read more 🡒]
Cavs May Have Found An Off-Bench Option Sooner Than Expected
Mario Hezonjas second game of the season gave the Cavaliers a small but encouraging glimpse of a possible off-bench spark. Against the Brooklyn Nets, he filled a limited role with points, rebounds and a steal, and he looked comfortable enough to fit into the flow without forcing things. The shot-making was part of the appeal, too, as he buried a corner 3-pointer and showed enough creativity to make a few possessions feel a little livelier than they might have otherwise.
For a Cleveland team heading into matchups with Minnesota, Washington, Atlanta and Milwaukee, those kinds of minutes matter, especially when the rotation is still taking shape. Hezonja did not need a featured role to make an impression, and the Cavaliers will now have a quick chance to see whether that early feel carries over as the schedule stiffens. [Read more 🡒]