Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo, centre, is fouled by Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell, right, as he shoots in front of forward Evan Mobley, left, in the first half of an NBA basketball game, Friday, Dec. 20, 2024, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)
SOCLEVELAND (AP) — Donovan Mitchell scored 27 points, Darius Garland added 16 and the Cleveland Cavaliers moved to 15-1 at home with a 124-101 win on Friday night over the Milwaukee Bucks, who played for the first time since winning the NBA Cup.
Cleveland is 3-0 this season against Milwaukee, which was without All-Star guard Damian Lillard because of a strained calf.
Evan Mobley scored 15 and Cleveland made 20 3-pointers while pushing its league-best record to 24-4.
Giannis Antetokounmpo had 33 points and 14 rebounds for the Bucks, who may need a couple more days to shake off their collective hangover after winning the Cup on Tuesday in Las Vegas.
With Lillard sidelined, the Bucks were missing their second-best player and 25.7 points per game. Milwaukee’s starting guards — Andre Jackson Jr. and AJ Green — shot a combined 0 of 9.
Elsewhere in the NBA on Friday:
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76ERS 108 HORNETS 98
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Joel Embiid had 34 points and nine assists after missing a game because of a sinus fracture, helping Philadelphia beat Charlotte.
Wearing a protective “ †mask, Embiid was introduced to a roaring ovation.
Embiid scored 22 points in the first three quarters to lead the 76ers to their fourth win in five games. Philadelphia is still well under .500 at 9-16 but a recent hot streak has it at least within striking distance of a play-in tournament berth.
Embiid has been ravaged by injuries this season and has only played in seven games, mostly due to knee soreness.
Vasilije Micic led the Hornets with 20 points. They lost their fourth straight game and have lost for the 12th time in 13 games.
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THUNDER 104 HEAT 97
MIAMI (AP) — Jalen Williams scored a season-high 33 points, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander of Hamilton, Ont., had 25 and Oklahoma City beat Miami for their seventh straight victory.
Lu Dort of Montreal scored 14 points and Isaiah Hartenstein had 13 points and 18 rebounds for the Thunder, who improved to 22-5 — the second-best record in the NBA and tops in the Western Conference.
Oklahoma City’s winning streak is alive because the NBA Cup final — a loss Tuesday night to Milwaukee in Las Vegas — doesn’t count as a regular-season game.
Tyler Herro had 28 points and 12 rebounds for Miami, which got 17 points and 10 rebounds from Bam Adebayo.
The Heat lost Jimmy Butler to illness in the first quarter and briefly lost Adebayo in the third quarter when he got elbowed over an eye by teammate Jaime Jaquez Jr. Adebayo needed seven stitches but returned.
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