Donovan Mitchell shines with 35 points but Cleveland loses Darius Garland to injury
Jan 14, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell (45) controls the ball against Philadelphia 76ers guard Tyrese Maxey (0) during the third quarter at Xfinity Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images
The Cleveland Cavaliers dominated the Philadelphia 76ers on Wednesday night with a resounding 133-107 victory, powered by an exceptional performance from Donovan Mitchell. The All-Star guard compiled 35 points and 9 assists, confirming his status as the offensive leader of the team that sits atop the Eastern Conference.
The evening was however marred by the injury to Darius Garland, who had to leave the game late in the third quarter after injuring his right foot while diving for a loose ball. The starting point guard had posted an excellent start to the game with 20 points on 8/13 shooting, continuing his recent surge.
A concerning injury for Garland after a difficult season
This new injury comes at a delicate time for Garland, who had undergone surgery last June to treat a toe on his left foot that had bothered him during the playoffs. After a sluggish start to the season related to his recovery, the guard had returned to form with an average of 17.9 points per game.
For the regular season, Garland was averaging 20.6 points and 6.7 assists, contributing significantly to the Cavaliers’ success as they finished first in the Eastern Conference. His performance against the 76ers, with an excellent 8/13 shooting, testified to his return to form before this new setback.
Cavaliers are up but Darius Garland won’t be returning because of this great steal from Sixers Jarace Walker. He had surgery on his other foot in the offseason. Cavs were rolling offensively with 20 team assist at the half 28 in 3 quarters. pic.twitter.com/x93RWj41Oq
— Global Utopia Sports (@GL8BAL_SPORTS) January 15, 2026
Philadelphia will have revenge to seek on Friday
On the Philadelphia side, Joel Embiid scored 20 points and made a 3-pointer that allowed him to reach 13,000 career points, becoming the seventh player in franchise history to reach that milestone. Paul George added 17 points in this first round of a two-game series.
For Cleveland, De’Andre Hunter and Evan Mobley each contributed 17 points, with Mobley also grabbing 13 rebounds. The Cavaliers took control from the first period, leading 60-47 at halftime thanks notably to Hunter’s early 3-pointers. Despite an attempted comeback by the 76ers in the third quarter, Cleveland pulled away definitively late in the game, triggering an exodus of local fans. The two teams will meet again on Friday for the second installment of this series.
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