Cavaliers crush Clippers 124-89 after Garland-Harden trade

The Cleveland Cavaliers delivered a dominant performance, defeating the LA Clippers 124-89 on Wednesday night, in a game marked by the absence of the two stars traded just hours earlier. Darius Garland, now a Clippers player, and James Harden, new Cavaliers recruit, did not participate in this matchup played in Inglewood.

Donovan Mitchell led Cleveland’s offensive charge with 29 points and 9 assists, confirming his status as leader. Young Jaylon Tyson supported him with 17 points, while Jarrett Allen recorded a double-double with 10 points and 11 rebounds.

A collective demonstration by the Cavaliers

This victory marks the seventh win in eight games for the Cavaliers, who benefited from the successful integration of their new acquisitions. Dennis Schroder, acquired from Sacramento on Sunday in a three-team trade, scored 11 points in his Cleveland debut. Keon Ellis, also arriving from Sacramento, contributed 6 points in his first appearance.

Cleveland’s offensive efficiency made the difference with 51% shooting and a solid 16 for 41 from 3-point range (39%). Conversely, the Clippers struggled mightily from beyond the arc with only 6 makes on 28 attempts (21.4%) and committed 24 turnovers, converted into 47 points by the Cavaliers.

On the Los Angeles side, Kawhi Leonard tried to keep his team afloat with 25 points, supported by John Collins and his 19 points. Rookie Yanic Konan Niederhauser contributed 10 points and 8 rebounds, but it wasn’t enough against Cleveland’s offensive machine. The Clippers played without their starting center Ivica Zubac, absent for the birth of his child.

This loss ends a strong run for Los Angeles, which posted a record of 17 wins in 22 games since December 20, victories largely achieved with James Harden in the lineup. Both teams will now need to quickly adapt to their new players.