sports

Cavs become sixth team in NBA history to start season 13-0


PHILADELPHIA — Donovan Mitchell scored 11 of his 23 points in the final three minutes of the game and the Cleveland Cavaliers became the sixth team in NBA history to start a season 13-0 with a 114-106 win over the Philadelphia 76ers on Wednesday night.

Mitchell also grabbed 13 rebounds and added nine assists as Cleveland became the first team since the 2015-16 Golden State Warriors to win 13 straight to begin a season. That Warriors team holds the record for most wins to begin a campaign at 24 straight.

Four of the previous five teams to start 13-0 made the NBA Finals — the 2002-03 Dallas Mavericks did not — and only the 1993-94 Houston Rockets won the title, according to ESPN Research.

Darius Garland scored 25 points while Evan Mobley had 14 points with seven rebounds.

Jared McCain had a career-high 34 for the 76ers, who played without Paul George and Joel Embiid on the second night of a back-to-back as part of left knee injury maintenance. Kelly Oubre Jr. had 20 points while Caleb Martin added 18 for the Sixers.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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