Cleveland Cavaliers vs. New Orleans Pelicans Pick & Prediction NOVEMBER 6th 2024
Preview and Prediction
The Cleveland Cavaliers have yet to experience defeat in this season.
The New Orleans Pelicans are currently struggling to find enough healthy players to keep up as they prepare to host the Cavaliers on Wednesday night.
Cleveland has achieved the same 8-0 start as their 1976 team, with close one-point and two-point wins against Milwaukee. The Cavaliers have dominated their first six games, winning by an average of 17 points.
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"This is what it's all about, right?" stated Cavs coach Kenny Atkinson. "These last five minutes, clutch momentshow are we going to execute? How are we going to finish this game? These are crucial if you want to succeed in the playoffs. You have to excel in high-pressure situations. I like that. We faced pressure situations and fortunately came out on top."
Donovan Mitchell scored the final two of his 30 points with a last-second jumper in a 114-113 victory at Milwaukee on Saturday.
On Monday, Mitchell only scored 14 points, shooting 5-of-15 from the floor. However, Darius Garland stepped up with 39 points in a 116-114 win against the Bucks. Cleveland finished strong with an 18-8 run during the final 6:06, and Garland's 3-pointer secured the lead with 45 seconds remaining.
"It can't be Donovan every night," Atkinson acknowledged. "Donovan has been incredible, and to his credit, he knew he didn't have it going and he just said, 'Go ahead DG, you got it.'
"That's how it works sometimes. That's part of the strength of this groupthey are selfless. They share the ball. Whoever has the hot hand, they get them the ball."
Atkinson mentioned that the Cavs lacked their usual energy as they completed a stretch of eight games in 13 days, but they still managed to pull through.
New Orleans is facing their own challenges due to a string of injuries to key players. In their recent 118-100 loss to Portland, Brandon Ingram was the only one of the Pelicans' top five scorers to play, and he scored 27 points.
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Zion Williamson (hamstring) and Jordan Hawkins (back) are listed as day-to-day, but Dejounte Murray, CJ McCollum, and Trey Murphy III are not expected to return anytime soon. In their absence, guard Brandon Boston Jr. has taken advantage of increased playing time and has averaged 16 points over the last three games.
"He's aggressive and assertive," commented coach Willie Green on Boston, who was signed to a two-way contract just before the season started. "He's making his mark in every game and creating an opportunity for himself."
Boston is likely to continue receiving scoring opportunities as Ingram is frequently double-teamed.
"(Boston is) another guard who can create," said Ingram. "I think he found his rhythm a little bit. He definitely provided some scoring for us and made good decisions on the offensive end. It was great to have him out there. ...
"(I have to) stay aware, stay aggressive, don't get frustrated, and keep going. I have to find my shots when I can, involve my teammates, and trust them to make the right play."
Cleveland Cavaliers vs. New Orleans Pelicans Recap FEB 10TH 2023
Donovan Mitchell scored 30 points and Evan Mobley added 28 points, 13 rebounds and three steals to help the Cleveland Cavaliers notch an easy 118-107 victory over the host New Orleans Pelicans on Friday night.
Jarrett Allen contributed 20 points and 11 rebounds as Cleveland won its fifth straight game and recorded its 26th double-digit victory of the campaign. Caris LeVert added 13 points, matched his season best of nine assists and grabbed six rebounds, while Darius Garland had 11 points and seven assists for the Cavaliers.
Brandon Ingram registered 25 points and eight assists, but the Pelicans had their three-game winning streak snapped. Trey Murphy III scored 17 points, CJ McCollum added 12 and Herbert Jones and Larry Nance Jr. tallied 11 apiece.
New Orleans star Zion Williamson (hamstring) missed his 20th consecutive game. Williamson will also miss the Pelicans' final two games before the upcoming All-Star break.
Mitchell connected on 12 of 21 shots after missing one game with a groin injury. Garland (thumb) also returned after a one-game absence.
Cleveland shot 56.5 percent from the field, including 10 of 28 from 3-point range.
The Pelicans made 47.6 percent of their shots and were 9 of 24 from behind the arc while losing for the 16th time in their past 22 games.
New Orleans trailed by as many as 25 points late in the third quarter but used a 15-4 run to creep within 105-91 with 10:03 to play before Cleveland quickly responded to the charge.
LeVert buried a 3-pointer, Allen scored on the inside and Mitchell hit an outside shot to make it a 21-point margin with 7:54 remaining as the Cavaliers swept the regular-season series with the Pelicans.
Mitchell scored 14 points in the opening quarter as the Cavaliers scooted to a 38-28 lead.
Cleveland stretched its lead to 58-36 on two free throws by Mitchell with 6:44 left in the half. It was 73-56 at the break as Mitchell had 21 points, Mobley added 18 points and 10 rebounds and the Cavaliers shot 61.7 percent from the field.
Ingram had 13 in the half for New Orleans.
LeVert drained a 3-pointer to give the Cavaliers a 25-point lead with 1:25 left in the third quarter before New Orleans scored the last six points to trail 101-82 entering the final stanza.