Mitchell scores 29 and the Cavaliers beat the Pelicans 131-122 for their first 9-0 start

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Donovan Mitchell scored 29 points and the Cleveland Cavaliers defeated the New Orleans Pelicans 131-122 on Wednesday night to open 9-0 for the first time in their 55-year NBA history.

Caris LeVert and Jarrett Allen each added 16 points, and Allen grabbed 14 rebounds as the Cavaliers surpassed an 8-0 start by the 1976-77 squad that finished 43-39 under coach Bill Fitch.

Zion Williamson returned from a two-game absence and had 29 points for the Pelicans. He temporarily took himself out after playing 10 minutes, but returned to start the second half and scored 23 after halftime.

Jose Alvarado hit all seven 3-pointers he took and finished with 27 points for New Orleans. Brandon Ingram added 20 points for the Pelicans, who have lost three straight and six of seven.

Cavaliers: Cleveland had no trouble rallying back from an early 12-point deficit on the road and did so in part by shooting 54.2% overall, including 48.6% from 3-point range.

Pelicans: The injury-depleted Pelicans played with effort but simply lacked the firepower needed to hang with the hottest team in the NBA for a full 48 minutes.

After Alvarado's back-to-back 3s made it 112-106, Mitchell responded with a hesitation move in the lane and a floater to make it 114-106 and stem the Pelicans' momentum with 5:20 left. Cleveland kept New Orleans at arm's length from then on.

Cleveland got 50 points from reserves, led by LeVert and Ty Jerome (11 points).

The Cavaliers play at home Friday against the Golden State Warriors, who own the best start in NBA history at 24-0 in 2015-16.

The Pelicans visit Orlando on Friday night.

AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba

New Orleans Pelicans head coach Willie Green reacts to a call in the first half of an NBA basketball game against the New Orleans Pelicans in New Orleans, Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2024. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

New Orleans Pelicans forward Brandon Ingram (14) leaps for a rebound over Cleveland Cavaliers forward Isaac Okoro (35) in the first half of an NBA basketball game in New Orleans, Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2024. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

Cleveland Cavaliers forward Evan Mobley blocks a shot by New Orleans Pelicans center Yves Missi (21) in the first half of an NBA basketball game in New Orleans, Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2024. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

New Orleans Pelicans forward Brandon Ingram (14) shoots against Cleveland Cavaliers forward Evan Mobley (4) in the first half of an NBA basketball game in New Orleans, Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2024. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

Cleveland Cavaliers guard Caris LeVert (3) shoots against New Orleans Pelicans guard Jordan Hawkins (24) and forward Jeremiah Robinson-Earl (50) in the first half of an NBA basketball game in New Orleans, Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2024. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

Cleveland Cavaliers guard Caris LeVert (3) battles between New Orleans Pelicans forward Jeremiah Robinson-Earl (50) and guard Jordan Hawkins (24) in the first half of an NBA basketball game in New Orleans, Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2024. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

FULLERTON, Calif. (AP) — Two people were killed and 18 injured when a small plane crashed through the rooftop of a commercial building in Southern California on Thursday, police said.

Police got a report at 2:09 p.m. about the crash in the Orange County city of Fullerton, said Kristy Wells, a Fullerton police spokesperson.

Firefighters and police arrived on scene and battled a blaze that broke out, and evacuated surrounding businesses, Wells said.

The fire damaged the warehouse, which appeared to contain sewing machines and textile stock. The building was occupied by Michael Nicholas Designs, a furniture upholstery manufacturer, according to a sign on a door.

Ten people were taken to the hospital, while eight were treated and released at the scene, police said. There were two confirmed deaths, according to Wells.

It was not immediately known what type of plane it was or whether those injured were in the aircraft or on the ground, Wells said.

The flight-tracking website FlightAware shows a four-seat, single-engine aircraft crashed about a minute after takeoff.

Security camera footage from Rucci Forge, a wheel manufacturer across the street, shows a fiery explosion and a large plume of black smoke as the plane appeared to dive into the building tilted on its side.

The plane crashed near the Fullerton Municipal Airport, a general aviation airport in Orange County that is about 6 miles (10 kilometers) from Disneyland. It has one runway and one heliport. Metrolink, a regional train line, is nearby, and flanks a residential neighborhood and commercial warehouse buildings.

Another four-seat plane crashed into a tree a half-mile from the airport last November while making an emergency landing right after it had taken off, the Orange County Register reported. Both people on board suffered moderate injuries.

Fullerton is a city of about 140,000 people some 25 miles (40 kilometers) southeast of Los Angeles.

Associated Press writer Amy Taxin contributed from Orange County.

Workers stand near police lines at the scene of a small plane crash, Thursday, Jan. 2, 2025, in Fullerton, Calif. (AP Photo/Kyusung Gong)

People stand outside of a building where a plane crash occurred Thursday, Jan. 2, 2025, in Fullerton, Calif. (AP Photo/Kyusung Gong)

Firefighters tend to people after a plane crashed through the roof of a building near Fullerton airport on Thursday, Jan. 2, 2025, in Fullerton, Calif. (Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/The Orange County Register via AP)

Firefighters load a person onto an ambulance after a small plane crashed into a commercial building on Thursday, Jan. 2, 2025, in Fullerton, Calif. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)

Firefighters respond to a commercial building where a small plane crashed on Thursday, Jan. 2, 2025, in Fullerton, Calif. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)

A firefighter enters a building where a plane crash occurred Thursday, Jan. 2, 2025, in Fullerton, Calif. (AP Photo/Kyusung Gong)

A woman is carried on a stretcher near the site of a plane crash, Thursday, Jan. 2, 2025, in Fullerton, Calif. (AP Photo/Kyusung Gong)

Firefighter walk down a ladder outside a building where a plane crash occurred Thursday, Jan. 2, 2025, in Fullerton, Calif. (AP Photo/Kyusung Gong)

Firefighter stage outside a building where a plane crash occurred Thursday, Jan. 2, 2025, in Fullerton, Calif. (AP Photo/Kyusung Gong)

Firefighters stage outside a building where a plane crash occurred, Thursday, Jan. 2, 2025, in Fullerton, Calif. (AP Photo/Kyusung Gong)

Emergency vehicles are lined up near the site of a plane crash, Thursday, Jan. 2, 2025, in Fullerton, Calif. (AP Photo/Kyusung Gong)