MILWAUKEE — The streak lives to fight another day, thanks to Donovan Mitchell.
In a grueling back-to-back stretch, the Cavs secured their seventh consecutive victory — their second best start to a season in franchise history — defeating the Milwaukee Bucks 114-113 in a game that came down to the final seconds.
When the lights shine brightest, the biggest stars step up. In a moment that demanded resilience, with the clock ticking down and the game on the line, Mitchell seized the spotlight.
The Cavaliers found themselves trailing by a point with 9.1 seconds left after Damian Lillard, known for his late-game heroics, drained a 14-foot step-back jumper, electrifying the Milwaukee crowd. The roar inside Fiserv Forum was deafening, as if the game had been sealed.
But Mitchell wasn’t about to let the night end there. With ice in his veins, he took the ball in his hands, every eye in the building locked on him. Facing suffocating defense, fumbling the ball, Mitchell quickly recovered for a 19-foot pull-up jump shot that seemed to hang in the air for a moment. As it swished through the net, the crowd’s eruption transformed into stunned silence. Mitchell had answered Lillard’s clutch moment with one of his own, hushing the Milwaukee faithful and delivering a thrilling victory for the Cavs.
Mitchell ended a night that began as a significant challenge with 30 points. Jarrett Allen also had a crucial 15 points and 12 rebounds as he battled on the interior.
Milwaukee surged forward from the start, fueled by Lillard’s shooting barrage from beyond the arc, with the All-Star guard drilling three triples in quick succession. Cleveland found itself scrambling, momentarily drawn away from the structured offense that had been key to the unbeaten start. The Cavs responded by hoisting 3-pointers of their own, trying to match Milwaukee’s pace and firepower — a tactic that quickly backfired.
Head coach Kenny Atkinson called a much-needed timeout after the Bucks tore off nine straight points, urging his team to refocus on what brought them to this point in the season: defense and discipline.
Following that timeout, the Cavaliers locked in. Defensively, they tightened up on rotations, shutting down passing lanes, and began to dictate the tempo. After giving up a 38-point first quarter, the Cavs’ defense clamped down, holding Milwaukee to under 25 points in both the second and third quarters. This defensive stand allowed the Cavs to claw back, going into the final quarter with a narrow three-point edge.
Although Lillard went on to score 41 points, Isaac Okoro’s tireless defense forced him into tough shots and disrupted Milwaukee’s rhythm. Meanwhile, Giannis Antetokounmpo notched a 34-point game, yet Cleveland’s game plan held the supporting cast in check. The Cavs forced the Bucks into double-digit turnovers, effectively limiting their offensive possessions in the final stretch.
The Cavs’ scoring came through a well-rounded approach, with six players hitting double figures compared to Milwaukee’s four.
Atkinson has emphasized an egalitarian offense and defense, where any player on the floor can impact the game. Saturday’s win demonstrated how Cleveland’s roster buys into this vision, adjusting and executing mid-game. The Cavs’ disciplined response to adversity, from defensive rotations to timely contributions from role players, is becoming a hallmark of Atkinson’s system.
As the Cavaliers look ahead, their undefeated streak has more than just numerical significance; it reflects a newfound resilience. At 7-0, this start represents not only a strong record but also a team that, even in tough matchups and hectic schedules, finds ways to play their own game and come out on top.
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