Cleveland Cavaliers v Brooklyn Nets - NBA Paris Game 2024: Cavs hold off late charge from Nets
Donovan Mitchell scored 45 points to lead the Cavs to victory on Thursday (11 January) in the French capital.
Basketball
Some 15,000 French basketball fans enjoyed the NBA's return trip to Paris Thursday (11 January) as the Cleveland Cavaliers defeated the Brooklyn Nets in a regular season game.
The final score was 111-102.
It was a marked turn around from the two teams' previous meeting this season, where the Cavaliers squeaked out a 114-113 victory over the Nets. The two teams are set to face off again on 8 February.
The occasion was not only the third regular season NBA game to take place in France's capital but also provided something of a dress rehearsal with the venue, the Bercy Arena, set to stage the Paris 2024 Olympic basketball finals later this year.
At halftime, the Cavs had a commanding, 20-point lead, 54-34 - and they ended up needing it.
Cleveland used their first-half lead to hold off a surging Brooklyn squad that closed the gap to within ten points with just over five minutes remaining in play. Though the Nets pulled within nine toward the final seconds, they couldn't come up with enough for the win.
Four-time NBA All-Star Donovan Mitchell was the leading scorer for Cleveland, hauling in 45 points. He also had 12 rebounds and six assists, both team-leading numbers.
For Brooklyn, 2023 USA Basketball team member Mikal Bridges was the leading scorer with 26 points.
The Cavs are now tied fifth in the Eastern Conference standings (22-15) with the Knicks. Their win over the Nets is their fourth straight victory.