CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- — Donovan Mitchell scored 24 points and the NBA-leading Cleveland Cavaliers rallied for their 13th straight victory, 118-117 over the Charlotte Hornets on Friday night.

Darius Garland added 20 points to help the Cavaliers improve to 53-10. Evan Mobley scored 19 points, De’Andre Hunter had 15, Jarrett Allen 14 and Sam Merrill 12.

Miles Bridges scored 46 points for Charlotte. His shot from halfcourt at the buzzer was off the mark. The Hornets have lost nine straight to fall to 14-48.

Cleveland led 67-54 early in the second half and was up 87-83 after three quarters. Charlotte rallied with a 21-8 run for a 104-95 lead with 5:41 to play.

The Cavaliers responded by outscoring the Hornets 25-15 to end the game. Hunter’s contested follow shot with 43 seconds left gave Cleveland the lead for good at 112-110.

Jusuf Nurkic added 12 points and 15 rebounds for Charlotte

Takeaways

Cavaliers: Cleveland has had three winning streaks of 12 or more games this season, the first time that has happened since the 2006-07 Dallas Mavericks.

Hornets: Charlotte is 9-24 at home.

Key moment

After Cleveland took the lead for good at 112-110, Hunter’s defensive pressure forced Bridges into a fumble on his drive into the lane with 21.6 seconds left.

Key stat

Cleveland was 43 of 51 on free throws. And Donovan Mitchell, who accounted for six of the eight misses, converted nine straight before missing his last two (with 4.8 seconds left) to finish 12 of 18 overall.

Up next

The Cavaliers are at Milwaukee on Sunday. The Hornets host Brooklyn on Saturday.

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AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba

Play By Play

Recent plays and game events

TIME	PLAY
12:00	Jarrett Allen vs. Jusuf Nurkic (LaMelo Ball gains possession)	0	0
11:37	Miles Bridges makes driving layup (LaMelo Ball assists)	2	0
11:18	Evan Mobley makes 7-foot two point shot (Max Strus assists)	2	2
10:55	Jusuf Nurkic bad pass (Jarrett Allen steals)	2	2
10:50	Darius Garland makes 24-foot three point shot (Evan Mobley assists)	2	5
10:41	LaMelo Ball makes 1-foot two point shot	4	5
10:27	Darius Garland makes 26-foot three pointer	4	8
10:13	Miles Bridges makes 22-foot three point jumper (Jusuf Nurkic assists)	7	8
10:03	Darius Garland misses 27-foot three point jumper	7	8
10:01	Miles Bridges defensive rebound	7	8
9:48	LaMelo Ball misses 26-foot three point pullup jump shot	7	8
9:46	Jarrett Allen defensive rebound	7	8
9:40	DaQuan Jeffries flagrant foul type 1	7	8
9:40	(09:40) [Cavaliers] REF-INITIATED REVIEW (CALL OVERTURNED)	7	8
9:40	Max Strus makes free throw flagrant 1 of 3	7	9
9:40	Max Strus makes free throw flagrant 2 of 3	7	10
9:40	Max Strus makes free throw flagrant 3 of 3	7	11
9:29	Jarrett Allen misses 12-foot jumper	7	11
9:26	Miles Bridges defensive rebound	7	11
9:12	Miles Bridges makes driving layup (Jusuf Nurkic assists)	9	11
8:57	Evan Mobley misses 8-foot two point shot	9	11
8:55	Jusuf Nurkic defensive rebound	9	11
8:45	Josh Green misses 23-foot three point jumper	9	11
8:42	Darius Garland defensive rebound	9	11
8:32	Max Strus misses 23-foot three point pullup jump shot	9	11
8:30	Josh Green defensive rebound	9	11
8:22	LaMelo Ball misses 27-foot three point jumper	9	11
8:19	Jarrett Allen defensive rebound	9	11
8:09	Donovan Mitchell bad pass (Josh Green steals)	9	11
7:59	Darius Garland personal foul	9	11
7:51	Miles Bridges makes 23-foot three point jumper (LaMelo Ball assists)	12	11
7:36	Darius Garland misses 26-foot three point pullup jump shot	12	11
7:35	Hornets defensive team rebound	12	11
7:16	Miles Bridges misses 13-foot two point shot	12	11
7:15	Evan Mobley defensive rebound	12	11
7:10	Evan Mobley bad pass (LaMelo Ball steals)	12	11
7:03	Donovan Mitchell blocks Miles Bridges 's 2-foot two point shot	12	11
7:00	Max Strus defensive rebound	12	11
6:48	DaQuan Jeffries blocks Donovan Mitchell 's 14-foot pullup jump shot	12	11
6:46	DaQuan Jeffries defensive rebound	12	11
6:42	Darius Garland shooting foul	12	11
6:42	Cavaliers Full timeout	12	11
6:42	(06:42) [Cavaliers] COACH'S CHALLENGE (REPLAY SUPPORTS CALL) [Cavaliers] charged with a timeout	12	11
6:42	Damion Baugh enters the game for LaMelo Ball	12	11
6:42	Nick Smith Jr. enters the game for DaQuan Jeffries	12	11
6:42	Ty Jerome enters the game for Donovan Mitchell	12	11
6:42	De'Andre Hunter enters the game for Evan Mobley	12	11
6:42	Josh Green makes free throw 1 of 2	13	11
6:42	Josh Green misses free throw 2 of 2	13	11
6:39	Miles Bridges offensive rebound	13	11
6:28	Miles Bridges makes driving layup (Damion Baugh assists)	15	11
6:06	Jusuf Nurkic blocks Ty Jerome 's 3-foot hook shot	15	11
6:06	Cavaliers offensive team rebound	15	11
6:06	Moussa Diabate enters the game for Jusuf Nurkic	15	11
6:02	shot clock turnover	15	11
5:46	Josh Green misses 23-foot three point jumper	15	11
5:43	Moussa Diabate offensive rebound	15	11
5:41	Miles Bridges makes 24-foot three point jumper (Moussa Diabate assists)	18	11
5:29	De'Andre Hunter misses 26-foot three point pullup jump shot	18	11
5:28	Jarrett Allen offensive rebound	18	11
5:27	Jarrett Allen misses two point shot	18	11
5:27	Moussa Diabate defensive rebound	18	11
5:23	Jarrett Allen kicked ball violation	18	11
5:23	Seth Curry enters the game for Josh Green	18	11
5:23	Double technical foul: Moussa Diabate and Moussa Diabate	18	11
5:14	Moussa Diabate lost ball turnover (Jarrett Allen steals)	18	11
5:02	Moussa Diabate shooting foul	18	11
5:02	De'Andre Hunter misses free throw 1 of 2	18	11
5:02	Cavaliers offensive team rebound	18	11
5:02	Sam Merrill enters the game for Max Strus	18	11
5:02	De'Andre Hunter makes free throw 2 of 2	18	12
4:50	Darius Garland personal foul	18	12
4:50	(04:50) [Cavaliers] COACH'S CHALLENGE (CALL REPLAYCENTER)	18	12
4:42	Moussa Diabate misses 8-foot two point shot	18	12
4:42	Hornets offensive team rebound	18	12
4:42	Moussa Diabate traveling	18	12
4:32	Moussa Diabate shooting foul	18	12
4:32	Jarrett Allen makes free throw 1 of 2	18	13
4:32	Taj Gibson enters the game for Moussa Diabate	18	13
4:32	Hornets delay of game violation	18	13
4:32	Donovan Mitchell enters the game for Darius Garland	18	13
4:32	Jarrett Allen makes free throw 2 of 2	18	14
4:18	Damion Baugh misses driving floating jump shot	18	14
4:15	Sam Merrill defensive rebound	18	14
4:04	Donovan Mitchell makes 8-foot driving floating jump shot	18	16
3:54	Seth Curry makes 16-foot pullup jump shot (Taj Gibson assists)	20	16
3:49	De'Andre Hunter bad pass (Miles Bridges steals)	20	16
3:47	Miles Bridges misses layup	20	16
3:47	Ty Jerome defensive rebound	20	16
3:47	Damion Baugh personal foul	20	16
3:35	Damion Baugh shooting foul	20	16
3:35	Donovan Mitchell misses free throw 1 of 3	20	16
3:35	Cavaliers offensive team rebound	20	16
3:35	Donovan Mitchell misses free throw 2 of 3	20	16
3:35	Cavaliers offensive team rebound	20	16
3:35	Evan Mobley enters the game for Jarrett Allen	20	16
3:35	Donovan Mitchell makes free throw 3 of 3	20	17
3:18	Miles Bridges misses 22-foot pullup jump shot	20	17
3:16	Ty Jerome defensive rebound	20	17
3:07	Sam Merrill makes 26-foot three point jumper (Ty Jerome assists)	20	20
3:07	Hornets Full timeout	20	20
3:07	LaMelo Ball enters the game for Miles Bridges	20	20
3:07	Tidjane Salaun enters the game for Damion Baugh	20	20
2:50	LaMelo Ball offensive foul	20	20
2:50	LaMelo Ball turnover	20	20
2:34	Evan Mobley misses 6-foot two point shot	20	20
2:30	Seth Curry defensive rebound	20	20
2:23	Nick Smith Jr. makes 8-foot driving floating jump shot	22	20
2:19	Evan Mobley makes 1-foot layup (Ty Jerome assists)	22	22
2:19	Taj Gibson shooting foul	22	22
2:19	Evan Mobley makes free throw 1 of 1	22	23
2:03	Nick Smith Jr. misses 11-foot pullup jump shot	22	23
1:59	De'Andre Hunter defensive rebound	22	23
1:54	Evan Mobley makes 2-foot dunk (De'Andre Hunter assists)	22	25
1:43	LaMelo Ball misses 26-foot three point pullup jump shot	22	25
1:41	De'Andre Hunter defensive rebound	22	25
1:35	Donovan Mitchell misses 26-foot three point pullup jump shot	22	25
1:32	Tidjane Salaun defensive rebound	22	25
1:22	Tidjane Salaun misses 27-foot three point jumper	22	25
1:20	Evan Mobley defensive rebound	22	25
1:13	Evan Mobley misses 25-foot three point pullup jump shot	22	25
1:11	Nick Smith Jr. defensive rebound	22	25
1:00	Tidjane Salaun misses 23-foot three point jumper	22	25
58.1	Evan Mobley defensive rebound	22	25
52.1	Ty Jerome misses 11-foot two point shot	22	25
52.0	Hornets defensive team rebound	22	25
52.0	Ty Jerome loose ball foul	22	25
52.0	(00:52) [Hornets] COACH'S CHALLENGE (CALL OVERTURNED) [Hornets] retain their timeout	22	25
52.0	Hornets Coach's Challenge	22	25
33.0	LaMelo Ball makes 26-foot three point step back jumpshot	25	25
17.1	Donovan Mitchell misses 26-foot three point pullup jump shot	25	25
15.1	LaMelo Ball defensive rebound	25	25
6.1	Taj Gibson makes driving layup (LaMelo Ball assists)	27	25
0.0	Donovan Mitchell makes driving layup	27	27
0.0	(00:00) [Cavaliers] REF-INITIATED REVIEW (REPLAY SUPPORTS CALL)	27	27
0.0	End of the 1st Quarter	27	27

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Game Information

Time, Location & Referees

Venue

Spectrum Center

Charlotte, NC

Date & Time

12:00 AM, March 8, 2025

Coverage

FanDuel SN SE, FanDuel SN OH, NBA League Pass

Attendance

19,296

Referees

Tony Brothers, Gediminas Petraitis, Intae Hwang

2025-26 Central Standings

TEAM	W	L	PCT	STRK
Detroit	44	14	.759	W2
Cleveland	37	24	.607	L2
Milwaukee	26	32	.448	L1
Chicago	24	36	.400	L11
Indiana	15	45	.250	L5

2025-26 Southeast Standings

TEAM	W	L	PCT	STRK
Orlando	31	27	.534	L1
Miami	32	29	.525	W1
Charlotte	30	31	.492	W4
Atlanta	30	31	.492	W3
Washington	16	43	.271	L4

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NBA-leading Cavaliers win 13th straight game, rallying to edge Hornets 118-117

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