Cavs erase 15-point fourth-quarter deficit to defeat Pelicans 111-106
James Harden and Donovan Mitchell took turns dicing up the Pelicans late.
NEW ORLEANS, LA - MARCH 21: James Harden #1 of the Cleveland Cavaliers handles the ball during the game against the New Orleans Pelicans on March 21, 2026 at the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans, Louisiana. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Layne Murdoch Jr.
/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images The Cleveland Cavaliers made things more interesting than they needed to be. They fell down by 15 early in the fourth quarter to a bad New Orleans Pelicans team before turning things around. Strong finishes from James Harden and Donovan Mitchell were enough to secure the 111-106 victory.
As has been a recent trend, the Cavs started the game well. They got out to a 13-point lead in the first quarter due to their offense. Cleveland went 4-9 from three and 8-11 on two-point shots.
That was good enough for a 34-point first quarter. Once the offense slowed down, the defense couldn’t do enough to keep the lead. The outside shot abandoned them in the second quarter as they went 2-12 from beyond the arc in that frame.