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Cavaliers dominate Bulls behind Donovan Mitchell for first win of the season

By Justin Taguibao

TORONTO, ON - OCTOBER 19: Donovan Mitchell #45 and Cedi Osman #16 of the Cleveland Cavaliers celebrate a basket during the first half against the Toronto Raptors at Scotiabank Arena on October 19, 2022 in Toronto, Canada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Cole Burston/Getty Images)
TORONTO, ON - OCTOBER 19: Donovan Mitchell #45 and Cedi Osman #16 of the Cleveland Cavaliers celebrate a basket during the first half against the Toronto Raptors at Scotiabank Arena on October 19, 2022 in Toronto, Canada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Cole Burston/Getty Images) /
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Cleveland Cavaliers score a statement win on the road

Picking up where he left off, Donovan Mitchell had yet another explosive scoring night to lead the Cleveland Cavaliers to a 128-96 blowout victory on the road against division rivals Chicago Bulls.

The three-time NBA All-Star went off once again, flirting with a triple-double as he tallied 32 points, nine rebounds, and eight assists to lead Cleveland to its first win of the season. He also made Cavaliers history by becoming the first player to notch back-to-back 30-point outings to open a season.

Second-unit gunners Kevin Love and Cedi Osman came off the bench to add 15 markers each to help complete the first ‘Cavalanche’ of the season, against a sold-out crowd on the road no less.

The Cavs first took a commanding lead in the second quarter, and never looked back. While Chicago was able to cut a 19-point deficit down to single digits late in the third, Cleveland hit right back to completely blow the game wide open in the final period.

The Cavs will look to sustain the level of play

Can the Cavs expect heroics from Donovan Mitchell every night without Darius Garland? It certainly does not seem sustainable and could wear the new Cavalier out quickly this early in the season.

Garland, who suffered a laceration in his eyelid from an inadvertent eye poke in the season opener is still expected to sit out the next game. Possibly the next few.

While it is promising to see Cedi Osman, and now Kevin Love, stepping in to help pick up the scoring load, much more is expected from Caris LeVert who appears to have locked in a starting spot early in the season.

Isaac Okoro, who also started in the absence of Garland, scored just two points after finishing 1-for-5 from the field–a breakaway dunk. Of course, he is mostly relied upon on defense, but you still cannot be an absolute liability on the other end.

The Tower City duo of Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen were also given fewer minutes against the Bulls to give way for Love, as well as Robin Lopez, who had earned the season’s first ‘Junkyard Dawg’ distinction with his scrappy play off the bench.

Expect head coach J.B. Bickerstaff to continue making tweaks for the new-look Cleveland Cavaliers as the team makes their much-anticipated home debut tomorrow against the Washington Wizards.

Next. Allen and Love's bond a sign of team unity. dark

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