Cleveland Cavaliers win eighth straight, down LeBron James and struggling Los Angeles Lakers, 114-100

Muricas News  — 

Only a week after Halloween, LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers continued their scary begin to the season, shedding 114-100 to a sizzling Cleveland Cavaliers group and falling to 2-7 on the yr.

Due to a dominant backcourt efficiency led by Donovan Mitchell and Darius Garland – who mixed for 57 factors – the Cavs gained their eighth straight sport and remained second within the Japanese Convention.

Mitchell, who added 5 rebounds to his game-high 33 factors, alluded to enjoying towards James postgame: “When the best are on the ground, you simply go on the market and attempt to discover a method to compete and get a win. We got here on the market and had been simply attempting to do what we’ve been doing, and happily, it was towards Bron.”

Regardless of shedding guard Patrick Beverley to flu-like signs earlier than the sport, the Lakers got here out firing, taking a six-point lead after the primary quarter. Specifically, tremendous sub Russell Westbrook was excellent within the early going, going 5-for-6 from the sector within the opening 12 minutes and clearly reveling in his new sixth man function.

Extra importantly, he regarded like he was having fun with himself once more, one thing that has been missing since his transfer to the Metropolis of Angels. He was taunting Cavs gamers and had his dancing footwear on after scoring a slick and-1.

The house group took a six-point lead into halftime 64-58 with issues trying good towards one of many hottest groups within the league. But it surely was to be a distinct story within the second half.

The Lakers have solely gained a single third quarter this season, and that poor post-intermission development got here again to hang-out them as soon as once more.

The Cavs blew away the Lakers, beginning the half with a 13-4 run and outscoring Los Angeles 29-16 within the quarter. Cleveland successfully killed the sport with 17 unanswered factors in a spree spanning the third and fourth quarters and performed out what was a cushty victory.

“We simply didn’t come out prepared (within the second half),” Westbrook stated afterwards. “We had been enjoying catch-up.”

Regardless of shedding for only a second time in 19 makes an attempt towards his former group, James was once more attempting to hold the Lakers on his again, racking up 27 factors, seven rebounds and 4 assists. However with solely Anthony Davis – who completed with 19 factors and 12 rebounds – and Westbrook – who had 19 factors and 10 assists – actually exhibiting up, the Lakers regarded toothless on offense as soon as once more.

The Cavs, however, appear like contenders this yr; solely the Bucks (9-0) have had a greater begin within the league than the Cavs, who want to make the playoffs with out James of their line-up for the primary time since 1998.

“They did an awesome job within the offseason of choosing up a big-time participant,” James stated after the sport about Mitchell and his former group.

“They've a very good group and an awesome coach. A well-balanced group and a bunch of gamers (who) appear to be they only actually wish to play ball.”

Whereas the Cavs’ future appears brilliant, the Lakers shall be left to surprise as soon as once more how you can maintain the strain on after halftime breaks in an effort to show across the early season woes.