CLEVELAND — The Cavaliers have spent the first few days of the season trying to figure out how to protect a lead. On Monday, they got to experience things from the other side.
Turns out, making the comeback is considerably more enjoyable.
Donovan Mitchell scored 26 points, James Harden delivered some timely offense, and the Cavs handed the previously unbeaten Timberwolves a 127-125 overtime loss at Rocket Arena.
It wasn’t especially smooth. Anthony Edwards made sure of that, scoring 47 points and repeatedly making Cleveland work all over again. But the Cavs found enough stops and made enough big plays to improve to 2-1. Minnesota dropped to 3-1.
“We’re a little clunky offensively right now. Hopefully we can smooth that out,” Cavs coach Kenny Atkinson said. “No one panics in (the locker room). No high emotions or anything.”
That approach got another test after the Cavs fell behind by 15 in the second quarter. This time, they were the team applying pressure after halftime, with Harden describing their second-half performance as more resilient and disciplined.
Asked whether defense has to be the Cavs calling card, Harden didn’t need much time.
“Every night,” he said, then repeated it. “Every night.”
The Cavs also received an unexpected boost from Meleek Thomas, who scored 16 points in his NBA debut. The No. 34 overall pick looked comfortable enough that you wondered where the Cavs would’ve been without him.
“It was just a gut feeling. I thought, ‘We need that guy in the lineup,’” Atkinson said. “Since the day we drafted him we were bullish on him.”
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Harden finished with 19 points, including the floater that tied it with 10.4 seconds remaining in regulation. Mitchell scored five in overtime, delivering a fadeaway jumper with 48 seconds left that put the Cavs ahead for good.
Even then, there was some surviving to do. LaMelo Ball missed two late free throws, and Edwards missed an open three after Minnesota collected the rebound. Peyton Watson finally gave the Cavs some breathing room with two free throws at the other end.
Evan Mobley added 18 points, and the Cavs now head into Wednesday’s home game against the Wizards with consecutive wins.
Yes, the Cavs still have plenty to clean up. But after two games of watching leads disappear, they’ll take a night when their own persistence became somebody else’s problem.
I’ll have more coming in Dribbles a little later.
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