WASHINGTON (AFP) — The Cleveland Cavaliers, playing without top scorer Donovan Mitchell, matched the second-best start to a season in National Basketball Association (NBA) history on Sunday, reaching 15-0 with a 128-114 victory over Charlotte.
Mitchell took the night off to rest after averaging 24.6 points, 4.4 rebounds and 4.1 assists for the Cavs during their perfect run.
The host Cavaliers, however, made up for his absence with a balanced attack as Darius Garland had 25 points and 12 assists, Ty Jerome added 24 points, Evan Mobley scored 23 points and grabbed 11 rebounds and Jarrett Allen contributed 21 points and 15 rebounds.
“We’ve always got some fight in us no matter what,” Garland said.
“Everybody is ready to play. It doesn’t matter, one through 15.”
“Everybody contributed. Everybody had a huge part in this win. That’s just us. Just as a team effort.”
Under new coach Kenny Atkinson, the Cavaliers had become the sixth team in NBA history to start 14-0.
Beating the Hornets made them only the fourth team in NBA history to open 15-0, matching the 1948-49 Washington Capitols and 1993-94 Houston Rockets for the second-best start.
They now trail only the record 24-0 start by the 2015-2016 Golden State Warriors.
The win streak is already the longest in the Cavaliers’ 55-year history, eclipsing three 13-win runs when LeBron James was with Cleveland.
Charlotte’s LaMelo Ball had 31 points and 12 assists in a losing cause.
At Oklahoma City, Dallas forward P.J. Washington scored 27 points and grabbed 17 rebounds to lead the Mavericks, playing without injured guard Luka Doncic, over the host Thunder, 121-119.