In his first match with the Cleveland Cavaliers, James Harden and Donovan Mitchell led their team to victory over the Sacramento Kings with a score of 132-126. The duo scored the final 16 points for their team, as Sacramento suffered its twelfth straight defeat in the NBA.
After a modest offensive start, Harden, who arrived from the Los Angeles Clippers last Tuesday, was able to show his brilliance in crucial moments, contributing to his team’s 18-5 lead. Harden finished the game with 23 points, while Mitchell scored a game-high 35 points. The duo managed to score all eight free throws available to them in the final minute and 46 seconds.
The duo scored on all 11 of their shots, while Cleveland made 29 of 32 free throws. Jarrett Allen gave a remarkable performance by scoring 7 out of 8 free throws, in addition to 11 out of 12 two-pointers. Allen scored 29 points and grabbed 10 rebounds, achieving his third straight double-double.
Sacramento almost won thanks to its good performance on three-pointers, as it hit 16 out of 37 attempts, compared to 11 out of 35 for the Cleveland Cavaliers. Rookie player Nick Clifford scored 5 out of 9 attempts from beyond the arc, achieving a career-high 30 points. Russell Westbrook scored 21 points, Devin Carter added 18 points, while Dylan Cardwell contributed 12 points and 11 rebounds.
In another match, Moussa Diabate scored six consecutive points in the fourth quarter, including two aces, to lead the Charlotte Hornets to victory over the Atlanta Hawks with a score of 126-119, achieving their ninth victory in a row.
With the Hornets trailing 110-109 with 6:31 left in the game, Diabate scored two free throws and two consecutive aces, giving the visitors a five-point lead.
With this win, Charlotte equaled its longest winning streak since the 1998-99 season. Miles Bridges topped the Hornets’ scoring list with 26 points, followed by Con Noble with 23 points, including six three-pointers, in addition to grabbing eight rebounds. LaMelo Ball added 19 points and provided nine assists.
As for Jalen Johnson, he finished the game with 31 points, nine rebounds, and eight assists for his Hawks teammates. Onyeka Okongo, who returned after missing four games due to a facial fracture, scored 16 points and grabbed six rebounds.
