PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Donovan Mitchell had 35 points and nine assists, Darius Garland scored 20 points before leaving with an injured foot and the Cleveland Cavaliers beat the Philadelphia 76ers 133-107 on Wednesday night.
Garland was ruled out for the game late in the third quarter when he hurt his right foot diving for a loose ball. Garland already had surgery in June on the injured left big toe that hampered him during Cleveland’s exit from the playoffs.
The All-Star guard averaged 17.9 points after a slow start this season as he recovered from surgery. Garland continued his recent hot streak and shot 8 for 13 against the 76ers.
Garland averaged 20.6 points and 6.7 assists during the regular season to help the Cavs finish atop the Eastern Conference.
Joel Embiid scored 20 points and hit a 3-pointer that helped him reach 13,000 career points, the seventh player in team history to hit that mark.
Paul George had 17 points for the Sixers in the opener of a two-game series.
Sixers fans booed the team off the court in the third quarter headed into a timeout and trailing 75-53.
Tyrese Maxey and Quintin Grimes hit a pair of 3s during a 10-0 run and Embiid — who just earlier landed his 7-foot-2 frame on two rows of unsuspecting fans when he dove for a loose ball — buried a 3 that made it 79-66.
The good times were short-lived, and fans headed for the exits as the Cavs stretched the lead to 22 midway through the fourth.
Sixers forward Dom Barlow needed help up from the court and into the locker room after his legs gave out on him and he landed hard on his back and head on a driving layup attempt. He suffered a back contusion.
De'Andre Hunter hit early 3s that stretched Cleveland's lead to 30-14 and 60-47 headed into halftime. Hunter and Evan Mobley both scored 17 points. Mobley grabbed 13 rebounds.
Up next
The teams play again Friday.
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