James Harden scored 22 points and added nine rebounds and eight assists as the Cleveland Cavaliers held off the Brooklyn Nets 106-102 on Sunday in New York.
Harden, who had missed two games with a fractured right thumb, logged 36 minutes and fell just short of a triple-double to help Cleveland secure its seventh straight win over Brooklyn.
Former Net Jarrett Allen added 20 points, while Evan Mobley contributed 17, including key free throws in the closing seconds.
Cleveland played without leading scorer Donovan Mitchell for a third consecutive game due to a groin strain. However, they still shot 48.6% from the field and converted 25 free throws, nine in the fourth quarter.
Nets Rally Falls Short
Michael Porter Jr. led all scorers with 26 points as Brooklyn mounted a late rally. Rookie Danny Wolf posted a career-high 23 points with nine rebounds, and first-year guard Nolan Traore added 17.
The Nets shot 50.7% and cut a nine-point deficit to 102-101 with 9.2 seconds remaining. Afterward, Mobley split a pair from the line with 3.7 seconds left to seal the outcome.
Late Drama In New York
Cleveland appeared in control when Mobley’s basket gave them a 98-89 lead with 3:15 to play. However, Brooklyn surged behind Porter’s scoring to make it a one-point game in the final seconds.
The Cavaliers steadied themselves at the line after nearly surrendering another late cushion, bouncing back from Friday’s collapse in Detroit.
Brooklyn, which rested rookie Egor Demin and sidelined Nic Claxton with a thumb injury, dropped its eighth straight game despite a sharper showing than in Friday’s heavy loss at Boston.
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