League-best Cavaliers rout Embiid-less 76ers behind balanced attack

Darius Garland scored 26 points to lead six players in double figures as the Cleveland Cavaliers improved to a league-best 25-4 with a 126-99 win over the visiting Philadelphia 76ers on Saturday.

Evan Mobley had 22 points, 13 rebounds and seven assists for Cleveland, which led by as many as 35 and won its fourth straight game. Donovan Mitchell scored 19 points, Georges Niang added 13, Caris LeVert had 12 and Ty Jerome chipped in 11.

Cleveland moved to 16-1 at home while shooting 53.3 percent from the field and 22-of-43 (51.2 percent) from 3-point range.

Philadelphia played without star Joel Embiid, who was rested on the second game of the Sixers' back-to-back set.

Tyrese Maxey led Philadelphia with 27 points. Paul George played his first back-to-back set of the season and finished with 11 points, and Ricky Council IV added 11 off the bench.

The Sixers jumped to a 25-14 lead before Cleveland tied the game at 30 at the end of the first quarter after closing on a 16-5 run.

Trailing by one with 8:35 left in the second quarter, the Cavaliers quickly gained control and led by 14 on Garland's 3-pointer with 19 seconds left.

Council hit a 3-pointer to end the half and cut the deficit to 66-55. Mitchell had 19 points in the half to lead all scorers.

The Cavaliers scored the first nine points of the third quarter, stretching their lead to 75-55 on Garland's trey with 8:59 remaining in the period.

Philadelphia used a 13-4 run to pull within 81-73 with 5:24 left in the third quarter, but Cleveland answered with an 18-3 run to lead 99-76 at the end of the period.

The Cavaliers carried the momentum into the fourth quarter and pushed their lead to 107-82 on LeVert's 3-pointer with 8:12 remaining.

Philadelphia shot 39.5 percent from the field and 11-of-34 (32.4 percent) from beyond the arc.

Cleveland guard Sam Merrill exited the game in the second quarter with a left quad contusion and did not return.

--Field Level Media