NBA roundup: Cavaliers impress in dominant win over Bucks, Thunder & 76ers also prevail

The Cleveland Cavaliers provided a stark reminder to the newly crowned NBA Cup champions, the Milwaukee Bucks, on Friday, decisively winning 124-101 and enhancing their league-leading record to 24-4.

Donovan Mitchell led the Cavaliers with 27 points, while Darius Garland contributed 16. The Cavaliers established a commanding lead, reaching a margin of 36 points, as the Bucks struggled without their injured guard, Damian Lillard.

Giannis Antetokounmpo, who had recently guided the Bucks to victory in the NBA Cup final against the Oklahoma City Thunder, recorded 33 points, 14 rebounds, and three steals in the game.

Khris Middleton, returning from illness, added 14 points off the bench for Milwaukee. However, starting guards Andre Jackson Jr. and AJ Green combined for a dismal 0-for-9 shooting performance, failing to score.

The Cavaliers, having won seven of their last eight games, improved their home record to 15-1 and welcomed the return of Max Strus, who made his season debut after recovering from hip and ankle injuries.

Strus contributed nine points in 19 minutes off the bench, successfully making three of the team's 20 three-pointers.

"We executed well on both ends of the court," Mitchell stated. "We established our rhythm offensively and defensively. Aware of their long journey back, we aimed to start strong, maintain the pace, and we succeeded for the entire game."

Bucks coach Doc Rivers described the situation as "weird," noting the challenge of transitioning back to regular-season play after the semi-finals and finals of the in-season tournament in Las Vegas. He remarked that the game did not accurately reflect the Bucks' current standing.

"We were flat, tired, or however you want to describe it," Rivers commented. "There’s no real assessment to be made from tonight’s performance... we give them all the credit."

In Philadelphia, the 76ers' star center Joel Embiid, wearing a protective mask after missing a game due to a sinus fracture, returned to score 34 points in a 108-98 win over the Charlotte Hornets.

Embiid, who was anticipated to be sidelined at least until Saturday due to an unintentional hit to the face sustained last week, contributed five rebounds, nine assists, two steals, and two blocked shots.

Tyrese Maxey led the scoring for Philadelphia with 23 points, while Kelly Oubre Jr. added 22, helping the team secure their fourth victory in five games as they aim to improve their position in the play-in race.

Embiid's presence has been minimal during the Sixers' inconsistent season. The 2023 NBA Most Valuable Player was participating in only his seventh game of the season, having faced delays in his debut due to issues with his left knee.

The Oklahoma City Thunder, who lost to the Bucks in the Cup final on Tuesday, achieved their second win since that match by defeating the Heat 104-97 in Milwaukee.

Jalen Williams was a standout performer, scoring 33 points, while Shai Gilgeous-Alexander contributed 25 points for the Thunder, who had recently triumphed over the Orlando Magic on Thursday.

Tyler Herro led the Heat with 28 points and 12 rebounds, but Miami noticeably felt the absence of star forward Jimmy Butler, who left the game in the first quarter due to illness and was unable to return.

Additionally, Miami's Bam Adebayo briefly exited the game in the third quarter after receiving an accidental elbow to his left eye. He returned after receiving seven stitches and concluded the game with 17 points and 10 rebounds.