CLEVELAND — The Cavaliers apparently needed a reminder that these aren’t the same old Wizards.
Coach Kenny Atkinson delivered it at halftime Wednesday, and the Cavs responded with a 121-111 victory at Rocket Arena, overcoming a 10-point deficit for their third straight win.
Evan Mobley led the way with 24 points, Peyton Watson added 22 and Donovan Mitchell scored 19 as Cleveland continued to recover from its ugly opening-night collapse at Philadelphia.
“We came out like it was the old Wizards,” Atkinson said. “I told the guys at halftime, ‘This is different.’ So I’m glad we turned it around and treated them with the proper respect.”
And these Wizards do look a little different, especially with No. 1 overall draft pick AJ Dybantsa making his NBA debut.
Dybantsa scored 19 points in 26 minutes after missing Washington’s first four games with a sprained ankle. Nine of those points came in the first quarter, the most by a Wizards rookie in his debut since at least 1996-97, according to Sportradar.
The Cavs, though, found their footing after halftime, with Mobley leading the charge and Watson providing the type of energy that Atkinson has come to appreciate.
Watson was “all over the place,” Atkinson said, and he meant it as a compliment.
Mobley, meanwhile, told Serena Winters during his postgame interview that he felt the Cavs were sticking together, even when things weren’t going particularly well.
“I just feel like we’re playing as a team,” Mobley said.
That included staying composed after falling behind by double digits, something Mobley indicated was a point of emphasis.
Anthony Davis and Alex Sarr scored 18 apiece for the Wizards, while Bilal Coulibaly added 17 and Kyshawn George handed out 11 assists.
The Cavs are now 3-1 after dropping their opener to the 76ers, a game in which they squandered a 29-point lead. They’ve since won three straight, though none has been particularly easy.
But they’re finding ways to win, and as Wednesday showed, they’re learning a little about themselves along the way.
I’ll have more coming in Dribbles a little later.
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