Image Credits: AP News
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The Cleveland Cavaliers improved their record to a flawless 10-0, putting on a dominant display in a 136-117 win over the Golden State Warriors at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse on Friday.
Golden State entered the game with a solid 7-1 record but was quickly overwhelmed by the Cavs’ offensive firepower. Cleveland opened with a 20-2 run, leaving the Warriors with a daunting deficit from the start. By the end of the first quarter, the Cavs were up 39-22.
The onslaught continued in the second quarter, with Cleveland setting a franchise record for first-half points, leading 83-42 at the break. The Cavs shot a scorching 65% from the field and hit 14 of 22 3-pointers (64%) in the half.
Darius Garland was the star of the night, leading Cleveland with 27 points, including six 3-pointers (6-for-10), along with six assists. Evan Mobley contributed 23 points, four rebounds, four assists, and two blocks. Ty Jerome came off the bench to score 20 points, making all three of his 3-point attempts, while Isaac Okoro added 16 points, shooting 4-for-6 from beyond the arc.
Despite a strong second-half effort from Golden State, which outscored Cleveland 75-53, the deficit was too steep to overcome. Jonathan Kuminga led the Warriors with 21 points, and Brandin Podziemski added 14. Stephen Curry, who has been in MVP-caliber form this season, finished with just 12 points—his lowest total of the year.
Cleveland’s victory means they remain the NBA’s only undefeated team after the Oklahoma City Thunder fell to the Denver Nuggets earlier this week, losing 124-122.
This marks the fourth time since 2000 that a team has started 10-0, joining the 2000-01 Philadelphia 76ers, the 2002-03 Dallas Mavericks, and the 2015-16 Golden State Warriors. The Warriors, who set a record 24-0 start that season before finishing with the best regular-season record in NBA history (73-9), eventually lost in the Finals to LeBron James and the Cavaliers.
Cleveland’s win also extends their franchise-record start to the season. Coach Kenny Atkinson is the first head coach in NBA history to start 9-0 with a new team. The Cavs will look to improve their record to 11-0 when they face the Brooklyn Nets on Saturday.