James Harden scores 36 as Cavaliers hang on to beat Bulls 115-110 with Mitchell sidelined
CHICAGO (AP) — James Harden scored 36, Evan Mobley added 26 points and 14 rebounds and Cleveland hung on to beat the Chicago Bulls 115-110 on Thursday night even though Cavaliers star Donovan Mitchell missed the game because of a bruised left eye. Harden nailed seven 3-pointers. Jaylon Tyson chipped in with 18 points and 11 rebounds, and the Cavaliers hung on after a 29-point lead in the third quarter dwindled to one in the game’s closing minutes.
Chicago’s Tre Jones cut it to 103-102 when he made two free throws with 3:33 remaining. Sam Merrill answered with a 3 for Cleveland. The Cavaliers were up 110-107 when Jones missed a potential tying 3 and Leonard Miller missed a layup with about a minute left.
Harden hit a pull-up jumper to make it a five-point game with 33 seconds left and Cleveland hung on for the win. Mitchell was hurt in a collision in practice with Mobley. The seven-time All-Star played through the injury in Cleveland’s victory at Milwaukee on Tuesday night and finished with 19 points on 4-for-14 shooting.
He said after the game that he was having trouble seeing. Coach Kenny Atkinson said the injury is “nothing serious,” but the Cavaliers need to “let it clear up. ” Jones scored 20 for Chicago, which lost for the fourth time in five games.
Rob Dillingham added a season-high 17 points. Nick Richards finished with 16 points and eight rebounds. Up next Cavaliers: Visit New Orleans on Saturday.