CLEVELAND – Max Strus scored 24 points and the Cleveland Cavaliers had their highest-scoring game of the season as they beat the Washington Wizards 140-101 on Wednesday night to open a two-game set.
Donovan Mitchell scored 22 points in 24 minutes, helping Cleveland snap a two-game losing streak. Caris LeVert added 21 points in 23 minutes and Jarrett Allen had 17 points, 19 rebounds and seven assists.
The teams will meet again on Friday evening in Cleveland.
Cleveland had a 62-36 rebounding advantage, with Tristan Thompson scoring nine points and Georges Niang scoring eight points and 15 points off the bench. The Cavs shot 53.5% and made 20 3-pointers.
Kyle Kuzma scored 16 points for Washington. The Wizards have the third-worst record in the NBA at 6-27 and have not won consecutive games since February 28 through March 2, 2003.
Daniel Gafford, Mike Muscala and Corey Kispert each added 12 points.
Allen, a 6-foot-11 center who made the East All-Star team two years ago, is averaging 21.2 points, 16.4 rebounds and 6.0 assists over the last five games.
The Cavaliers are 6-3 since learning they would be without point guard Darius Garland (broken jaw) and power forward Evan Mobley (left knee surgery) until February.
There were 14 lead changes in the first 10 minutes, and neither team had a double-digit lead until Mitchell beat the halftime siren with a 3-pointer to give Cleveland a 67-55 lead. Strus had 21 points and all five of his three-pointers came in the half.
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