CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- — Evan Mobley scored a career-high 41 points, Donovan Mitchell added 18 points, eight rebounds and eight assists, and the Cleveland Cavaliers extended their strong start with a 116-102 victory over the injury-riddled Charlotte Hornets on Saturday.

Mobley scored 23 points as the Cavaliers built a 40-18 lead after the first quarter en route to their 21st victory in 24 games. The forward then had seven points in a late 12-2 surge as Cleveland held on.

Brandon Miller scored 24 points for Charlotte, which got as close as 104-100 with 5:05 left to play in its eighth straight loss.

Takeaways

Cavaliers: The Cavaliers won their fourth straight game since a two-game losing streak in late November and continued their franchise’s best start since the 2008-09 season.

Hornets: The Hornets suited up nine players from their 15-player active roster. Probable starters LaMelo Ball (left calf strain), Miles Bridges (right knee bruise) and Nick Richards (right ankle sprain) were out. Reserve Grant Williams (torn knee ligament) told reporters before the game he would be having reconstructive knee surgery on Wednesday in Chicago with a recovery time of eight to 12 months.

Key moment

The Cavs scored on five straight possessions as part of the 12-2 surge that pushed their lead back up to 116-102 after the Hornets had closed within four. with 1:46 left.

Key stat

The Cavaliers have scored triple figures in all 24 games this season and lead the NBA in scoring average at 121.8 points per game. Their lowest total this season was 101 in a 117-101 loss at Atlanta on Nov. 29.

Up next

The Cavaliers visit Miami on Sunday and the Hornets visit Indiana on Sunday.

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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. Taj Gibson (Vasilije Micic gains possession)	0	0
11:33	Brandon Miller misses 18-foot step back jumpshot	0	0
11:33	Hornets offensive team rebound	0	0
11:33	shot clock turnover	0	0
11:17	Evan Mobley makes 1-foot driving floating jump shot	0	2
10:49	Cody Martin misses 11-foot step back jumpshot	0	2
10:49	Cavaliers defensive team rebound	0	2
10:38	Cody Martin personal foul	0	2
10:35	Darius Garland out of bounds bad pass turnover	0	2
10:22	Josh Green makes 26-foot three point jumper (Taj Gibson assists)	3	2
10:11	Donovan Mitchell makes 29-foot three point jumper (Darius Garland assists)	3	5
9:58	Cody Martin bad pass (Dean Wade steals)	3	5
9:49	Darius Garland misses 28-foot three point pullup jump shot	3	5
9:46	Brandon Miller defensive rebound	3	5
9:34	Darius Garland personal foul	3	5
9:26	Jarrett Allen blocks Taj Gibson 's 3-foot jumper	3	5
9:23	Donovan Mitchell defensive rebound	3	5
9:13	Evan Mobley makes 26-foot three point jumper (Donovan Mitchell assists)	3	8
9:03	Brandon Miller misses 27-foot three point jumper	3	8
9:03	Evan Mobley defensive rebound	3	8
8:50	Dean Wade misses 23-foot three point jumper	3	8
8:48	Jarrett Allen offensive rebound	3	8
8:48	Evan Mobley makes 1-foot dunk (Jarrett Allen assists)	3	10
8:48	Hornets Full timeout	3	10
8:33	Darius Garland blocks Vasilije Micic 's 18-foot step back jumpshot	3	10
8:31	Jarrett Allen defensive rebound	3	10
8:20	Evan Mobley makes 23-foot three point jumper (Donovan Mitchell assists)	3	13
8:05	Josh Green makes 23-foot three point jumper (Taj Gibson assists)	6	13
7:43	Jarrett Allen makes 15-foot jumper (Dean Wade assists)	6	15
7:31	Brandon Miller misses 26-foot three point pullup jump shot	6	15
7:27	Donovan Mitchell defensive rebound	6	15
7:19	Darius Garland misses 22-foot three point pullup jump shot	6	15
7:16	Cody Martin defensive rebound	6	15
7:09	Cody Martin misses 25-foot three point jumper	6	15
7:06	Dean Wade defensive rebound	6	15
7:02	Donovan Mitchell misses running pullup jump shot	6	15
7:00	Vasilije Micic defensive rebound	6	15
6:46	Evan Mobley blocks Vasilije Micic 's 4-foot jumper	6	15
6:43	Evan Mobley defensive rebound	6	15
6:38	Evan Mobley bad pass (Josh Green steals)	6	15
6:35	Josh Green makes dunk	8	15
6:35	Cavaliers Full timeout	8	15
6:35	KJ Simpson enters the game for Taj Gibson	8	15
6:35	Mark Williams enters the game for Vasilije Micic	8	15
6:35	Georges Niang enters the game for Donovan Mitchell	8	15
6:35	Caris LeVert enters the game for Evan Mobley	8	15
6:19	Darius Garland makes 15-foot jump bank shot (Dean Wade assists)	8	17
6:11	Dean Wade personal foul	8	17
5:57	Brandon Miller misses 9-foot two point shot	8	17
5:54	Darius Garland defensive rebound	8	17
5:43	Jarrett Allen makes 6-foot two point shot (Georges Niang assists)	8	19
5:18	Cody Martin misses 14-foot pullup jump shot	8	19
5:15	Josh Green offensive rebound	8	19
5:14	Josh Green misses two point shot	8	19
5:12	Jarrett Allen defensive rebound	8	19
5:09	KJ Simpson shooting foul	8	19
5:09	Darius Garland makes free throw 1 of 2	8	20
5:09	DaQuan Jeffries enters the game for Josh Green	8	20
5:09	Nick Smith Jr. enters the game for Cody Martin	8	20
5:09	Sam Merrill enters the game for Dean Wade	8	20
5:09	Darius Garland makes free throw 2 of 2	8	21
4:56	DaQuan Jeffries makes layup (Mark Williams assists)	10	21
4:40	Darius Garland makes driving layup (Jarrett Allen assists)	10	23
4:17	Nick Smith Jr. misses 19-foot step back jumpshot	10	23
4:15	DaQuan Jeffries offensive rebound	10	23
4:06	Brandon Miller misses 25-foot three point jumper	10	23
4:04	Mark Williams offensive rebound	10	23
4:04	Georges Niang personal foul	10	23
3:54	Brandon Miller makes 18-foot pullup jump shot (Mark Williams assists)	12	23
3:41	Jarrett Allen makes 2-foot hook shot (Caris LeVert assists)	12	25
3:29	Darius Garland shooting foul	12	25
3:29	Mark Williams makes free throw 1 of 2	13	25
3:29	Donovan Mitchell enters the game for Darius Garland	13	25
3:29	Evan Mobley enters the game for Jarrett Allen	13	25
3:29	Mark Williams makes free throw 2 of 2	14	25
3:20	Evan Mobley makes 25-foot three pointer	14	28
3:00	KJ Simpson misses 18-foot pullup jump shot	14	28
2:59	Caris LeVert defensive rebound	14	28
2:56	DaQuan Jeffries personal foul	14	28
2:44	Evan Mobley makes 23-foot three point jumper (Donovan Mitchell assists)	14	31
2:33	Brandon Miller misses 29-foot three point jumper	14	31
2:31	Georges Niang defensive rebound	14	31
2:29	Brandon Miller blocks Evan Mobley 's 3-foot two point shot	14	31
2:27	Brandon Miller defensive rebound	14	31
2:13	KJ Simpson misses 26-foot three point step back jumpshot	14	31
2:08	Georges Niang defensive rebound	14	31
1:47	Sam Merrill makes 22-foot jumper (Evan Mobley assists)	14	33
1:19	KJ Simpson makes 8-foot pullup jump shot	16	33
1:06	Evan Mobley makes 25-foot three point jumper (Donovan Mitchell assists)	16	36
51.0	Seth Curry enters the game for Mark Williams	16	36
50.1	Brandon Miller out of bounds bad pass turnover	16	36
32.2	Evan Mobley makes dunk (Donovan Mitchell assists)	16	38
20.1	Evan Mobley shooting foul	16	38
20.1	Brandon Miller makes free throw 1 of 2	17	38
20.1	Brandon Miller makes free throw 2 of 2	18	38
15.1	Brandon Miller personal foul	18	38
5.1	Evan Mobley makes 2-foot dunk (Donovan Mitchell assists)	18	40
0.0	Nick Smith Jr. misses 30-foot three point pullup jump shot	18	40
0.0	Donovan Mitchell defensive rebound	18	40
0.0	End of the 1st Quarter	18	40

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Game Information

Time, Location & Referees

Venue

Spectrum Center

Charlotte, NC

Date & Time

6:00 PM, December 7, 2024

Coverage

NBA League Pass, FanDuel SN SE, FanDuel SN OH

Attendance

18,832

Referees

Tony Brothers, J.B. DeRosa, Jonathan Sterling

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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Mobley scores career-high 41 points as Cavaliers beat Hornets 116-102

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