Jarrett Allen scored a career-best 40 points, collected a season-high 17 rebounds and added five assists to lead the Cleveland Cavaliers to a 130-111 victory over the host Portland Trail Blazers on Sunday night.
Sam Merrill made six 3-pointers for the fifth time this season and scored 22 points and Jaylon Tyson was 4 for 4 from 3-point range while recording 18 points and six assists for the Cavaliers. Donovan Mitchell had 14 points and nine assists and Nae’Qwan Tomlin had 12 points as Cleveland won for the sixth time in the past seven games.
Caleb Love scored 21 points off the bench and Shaedon Sharpe had 20 points for Portland, which lost its fifth game in a row. Sidy Cissoko and Jerami Grant scored 15 points apiece, Toumani Camara had 12 points and reserve Robert Williams III had 10 points and 12 rebounds.
Portland played without Deni Avdija (back), who was named a Western Conference All-Star reserve earlier Sunday. Avdija has missed six of the last 10 games after playing in each of the first 40.
Cleveland remained without Darius Garland (right toe sprain) and Evan Mobley (left calf strain).
Cleveland led 102-78 early in the fourth quarter before Portland erupted with an 18-4 surge. Camara culminated it with a trey to pull the Trail Blazers within 106-96 with 7:35 remaining.
But Allen capped a 7-0 burst with a dunk to give the Cavaliers a 17-point lead with 6:23 left. Portland later crept within 11 before Merrill and Tyson each made 3-pointers during an 8-2 burst as Cleveland went ahead 123-106 with 3:15 to go and closed it out.
Portland shot 44.9% from the field and connected on 14 of 44 from behind the arc.
Allen hit 12 of 15 shots in the first half and had 25 points and 10 rebounds as the Cavaliers led 57-48 at the break.
Allen scored 16 points in the opening quarter to help Cleveland hold a 29-24 lead. Mitchell’s 3-pointer and back-to-back hoops by Tomlin made it 40-29 with 8:06 left in the half.
Love made two treys during a 12-3 push that brought the Trail Blazers within 43-41 with 5:21 to play before the Cavaliers finished the half strong.
In the third quarter, Mitchell started a 13-0 run by knocking down a trey. Merrill made two 3-pointers during the burst to give the Cavaliers an 81-59 advantage with 6:01 remaining.
Cleveland led 98-78 entering the final stanza.
