CLEVELAND – Donovan Mitchell poured in 34 points, leading the Cleveland Cavaliers to a hard-fought 117-103 victory over the Phoenix Suns Wednesday night at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. The Cavs, displaying a balanced offensive attack and stifling defense, improved their record to 48-28, solidifying their playoff positioning in the Eastern Conference.
The Suns, playing without star forward Kevin Durant who was sidelined with an ankle injury, struggled to find consistent offense outside of Devin Booker, who scored a game-high 36 points. Phoenix fell to 45-31 on the season, a setback in their quest for a higher seed in the Western Conference playoffs.
Cleveland's victory wasn't solely Mitchell's show. Jarrett Allen contributed a double-double with 17 points and 11 rebounds, while Darius Garland added 22 points and dished out six assists. Evan Mobley chipped in with 14 points and eight rebounds, providing crucial support in the frontcourt.
"We needed this win," said Cavaliers head coach J.B. Bickerstaff. "The Suns are a tough team, even without KD. I thought our guys came out with a great intensity and executed our game plan effectively on both ends of the floor. Donovan was fantastic, but it was a total team effort."
The Cavaliers established their dominance early, jumping out to a 32-24 lead in the first quarter. Mitchell was instrumental in the opening surge, scoring 12 points in the period. The Suns, however, battled back in the second quarter, cutting the deficit to just three points at halftime, 58-55. Booker led the charge for Phoenix, scoring 18 points in the first half.
The third quarter proved to be the decisive period for Cleveland. The Cavaliers ratcheted up their defensive pressure, holding the Suns to just 21 points. Offensively, Cleveland continued to execute efficiently, extending their lead to 13 points heading into the final frame.
Phoenix attempted to mount a comeback in the fourth quarter, but the Cavaliers responded to every challenge. Mitchell continued to score effectively, and Garland added key baskets down the stretch to seal the victory.
"We knew they were going to make runs," Mitchell said after the game. "They're a talented team. But we stayed composed, trusted our offense, and continued to defend. That's what we have to do every night."
For the Suns, Booker's 36 points were a bright spot, but he received limited support from his teammates. Deandre Ayton struggled, scoring just 10 points and grabbing seven rebounds. Chris Paul added 15 points and eight assists, but he was unable to consistently generate offense for the Suns.
"We missed Kevin out there tonight," said Suns coach Monty Williams. "He's a big part of our offense, and it's tough to replace that. But we have to find ways to win games when he's not on the court. We didn't defend well enough tonight, and we didn't execute our offense consistently."
The Cavaliers shot 48% from the field and 40% from three-point range, while the Suns shot 43% from the field and 32% from beyond the arc. Cleveland also outrebounded Phoenix 45-38.
Looking ahead, the Cavaliers will travel to Philadelphia to face the 76ers on Friday night in a crucial Eastern Conference matchup. The Suns will return home to host the Denver Nuggets on Friday.
