By Leobert Julian A. de la Peña
The Cleveland Cavaliers remained the only undefeated franchise in the ongoing NBA regular season after another double-digit victory over the Charlotte Hornets, 128-114, on November 18, 2024.
With their win-loss record now counting at 15-0, the Cavaliers became the 4th team in the entire NBA history to achieve such feat, equalizing the achievement first done by the Golden State Warriors last 2016, Houston Rockets in 1994, and the Washington Capitols way back in 1949.
It was an impressive outing for Cleveland after getting the dub without their franchise player Donovan Mitchell, who was ruled out against the Hornets due to rest.
Stepping up in his absence was his backcourt duo partner Darius Garland who led Cleveland with a double-double outing of 25 points, 12 assists, and five rebounds.
Garland was a walking bucket for the Cavaliers and ramped up his scoring in the second half when Charlotte threatened to close the gap after an offensive showcase from LaMelo Ball.
With his shooting stroke declining in the last two quarters, the shifty ball handler decided to aggressively attack Charlotte’s interior and fished for fouls, resulting in a perfect 9/9 shooting from the free throw line.
Aside from Garland, Ty Jerome, the team’s uprising shooting guard, also contributed massive numbers after dropping 24 markers built from an efficient 9/15 shooting from the field.
Jerome was a flamethrower from downtown, connecting four out of his seven total attempts from the three-point line alongside eight dimes and two boards.
Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen dominated the battle in the paint as Cleveland’s frontcourt powerhouse combined for 44 points and 26 rebounds.
On the other hand, the Hornets received another masterclass from Ball, who top-scored the game with 31 markers and 12 assists.
However, Cleveland’s firepower was too much for them to handle and fell to below .500 with a win-loss record of 5-8.
The Cavaliers will have one more day of rest before taking on the reigning NBA champion Boston Celtics tomorrow, while Charlotte will aim to bounce back against the Brooklyn Nets on the same date.
