The Cleveland Cavaliers kept the comeback train rolling and made it three straight, but the night really belonged to Evan Mobley and Peyton Watson.
Mobley was the headliner, putting up 24 points, 12 rebounds and 2 assists while setting the tone early from deep. He drilled his first three attempts from three-point range and finished 5-of-6 overall, one of the sharpest perimeter shooting nights of his career. The outside shot has been the lingering question, but it’s looked steadier than ever to open the season.
That said, the big man still feels best when he’s dictating things inside the paint. For the second straight game, he leaned more on the perimeter than on his usual work around the rim, with Rudy Gobert and Anthony Davis making life difficult in consecutive matchups. Even so, if Mobley is going to shoot it this well, there’s not much room to complain.
Peyton Watson gave Cleveland plenty to think about on the other side. He turned in 22 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists and a block, and his first half was especially impressive.
Watson scored 16 points in the opening two quarters, going 7-for-11 from the field and showing off scoring touch from all three levels. His touches dipped after halftime as the offense shifted toward the backcourt, but he still made his presence felt by crashing in for a putback layup during the fourth-quarter rally.
Donovan Mitchell had a quieter scoring night by his standards, finishing with 19 points, 7 assists and 5 rebounds. His shot was off early, and he started just 4-for-11 from the floor.
Still, he helped seal things late by knocking down back-to-back baskets in the fourth quarter. Washington made him work from the opening tip, and the defensive end was not one of his better showings.
James Harden had a tougher outing across the board. He posted 16 points, 6 assists, 2 rebounds and 2 turnovers, but the defensive effort was the glaring issue.
The Wizards kept him chasing, and he spent too much of the night a step behind. Cleveland paid for that lack of resistance more than once.
Jarrett Allen was one of the few Cavaliers consistently bringing energy on defense. He finished with 8 points, 12 rebounds, 2 assists and 3 blocks, and all three rejections came at the rim at just the right time. His work doesn’t always get enough attention, but it mattered here.
Sam Merrill finally got something going after a rough start to the season, hitting two three-pointers for 8 points, 1 rebound and 1 assist. One of those makes brought Rocket Arena to life. Mario Hezonja also stayed ready, adding 5 points, 3 rebounds and 2 assists while knocking down clutch threes for the second straight game.
Jaylon Tyson had a shakier night, finishing with 7 points, 2 rebounds and 1 assist, but his frantic handle slowed Cleveland’s momentum in the fourth before a timeout settled things down.
Meleek Thomas also stood out, especially on the defensive end. He finished with 16 points and 2 rebounds, and his activity created a stream of problems for Washington.
His hands were active, his attention to detail was sharp, and he even jumped an entry pass to the post after helping off the opposite corner. Offensively, he went 0-for-1 from deep but finished 4-of-5 inside the arc by getting out in transition and attacking downhill.
In Other News...
Peyton Watson Is Giving The Cavs Something They May Really Need
Amid the early-season chaos around the league, Peyton Watson has given Cleveland a different kind of lift in a recent overtime win, the sort that tends to matter more when games tighten and possessions get ugly. The Cavaliers have plenty of scorers they can lean on, but Watsons value showed up in the areas that dont always make the highlight reel, with his activity helping swing momentum on both ends while the team keeps sorting out its rotation.
The offense still has a bit of a project attached to it, though, and that is the piece Cleveland will keep watching as the sample grows. Watsons size and defensive energy are already giving the Cavaliers something they can build on, but the next question is whether his shot becomes reliable enough to make him more than a situational weapon as the season moves along. [Read more 🡒]
Cavaliers Win Still Exposed A Frustrating Problem Mobley And Allen Haven't Fixed
The Cavaliers got the overtime win they needed against Minnesota, but the box score still pointed to a nagging problem that has followed them at times this season. Even with Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen anchoring the front line, Cleveland was hurt on the defensive glass, and the Wolves extra chances kept possessions alive in a way that made the game far harder than it should have been.
For a team built to defend at a high level, the issue goes beyond two big men doing their job. Rebounding on the defensive end has to be a full-team task, with guards and wings helping close possessions before they turn into second opportunities, and this one offered another reminder that the Cavaliers still have work to do there if they want to make wins look cleaner. [Read more 🡒]
Cavs Win Just Sparked An Officiating Debate Fans Will Be Talking About
The Cavaliers overtime win over the Timberwolves is already the kind of result that gets replayed, but the NBAs Last Two Minute Report added another layer to the discussion. The league identified two officiating mistakes that worked in Clevelands favor, while also backing several other calls from the final stretch, including the non-flagrant ruling on Donovan Mitchell and a foul on Jaden McDaniels.
What stood out most was how thin the margins were late, when every whistle can reshape a games finish. The report said a key call should have gone the other way on the final possession of regulation, and it also marked an overtime foul involving Mitchell and LaMelo Ball as incorrect because the contact was deemed incidental, leaving plenty for fans to debate even after the result is in the books. [Read more 🡒]