PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Amid the giggles and the talk of history that filled the Cleveland Cavaliers' locker room, Donovan Mitchell tried to add a little perspective about the team's 13-0 start to the NBA season.
“We’re the hunted, but it’s also November,” Cleveland’s star forward said after he had 23 points, 14 rebounds and nine assists in the Cavaliers’ 114-106 win over Philadelphia on Wednesday night. “Let’s relax. You know, I’m saying its November and we’re not winning a championship right now. But these are good tests for us.”
Cleveland became the first team since Golden State in 2015-16 to win 13 straight to start a season. That Warriors team holds the record for most wins to begin a season at 24 straight.
The Cavaliers are just the sixth team in NBA/BAA history to start 13-0. Four of the previous five teams went on to reach the championship round. It also tied Cleveland’s franchise record of 13 straight wins set three previous times — in 2009, 2010 and 2017 — all with LeBron James.
“It’s an 82-game season and we’re only 13 games in,” said guard Darius Garland, who led Cleveland with 25 points in their latest win. “It’s a lot of stuff that we have to clean up. But it’s a good thing that we can have these wins as well. It’s a good balance that we have right now because we know that we can get a lot better, even though we’re still undefeated.”
Part of the Cavaliers' success has been based on ball movement and scoring. Six Cleveland players — Mitchell, Garland, Evan Mobley, Jarrett Allen, Caris LaVert and Ty Jerome- entered play on Wednesday night averaging double figures in scoring.
“We’ve all been able to play a lot of games, and you can be mentally and physically tired,” Mitchell said. “But you have to be able to continue to to the little things for one another. That’s what it’s going to take on a night like tonight (to win).
“You have to be the team that does the little things for one another through those moments and continues to make the right plays.”
Wednesday night turned into more of a struggle than most expected against a short-handed Philadelphia lineup that was missing Joel Embiid (left knee injury maintenance), Paul George (left knee injury maintenance), Tyrese Maxey (right hamstring strain) and backup center Andre Drummond (illness).
It also showed how big of a burden Cleveland is carrying with its winning streak.
“If you were the Sixers coming in, you’re thinking ’We could end the streak,'” Cleveland first-year coach Kenny Atkinson said. “That always motivates players and coaches that you know you can knock someone off their block. I know our players feel it and they’ve talked about it.”
Rookie first-round pick Jared McCain scored a career high 34 points and had Philadelphia within three with just over three minutes to play.
“He came out and showed that he’s got some game,” Garland said. “He is looking for a spot on that team as well. It was good, it was a good showing for all of us.”
That’s when Mitchell got hot, closing the game with 11 points in the final three minutes and just missing his first career triple-double.
“He made those big step-back 3’s,” Atkinson said. “We’ll forgive him (for missing the triple-double).”
After a day off on Thursday, Cleveland will host Chicago on Friday and Charlotte on Sunday before its ultimate litmus test — a Tuesday night game at defending NBA champion Boston.
“We have a mature group and a steady group that doesn’t get too high or too low,” Atkinson said. “They are a humble group. I don’t know if they are reading the media quotes and I don’t think that anyone is pounding the drum or saying how great we are. Donovan is always saying that we haven’t done anything yet, so they understand what we need to do and what the next step is. And they are keeping that chip on their shoulder.”
AP NBA: https://www.apnews.com/hub/NBA
Cleveland Cavaliers' Jarrett Allen, right, goes up for a shot against Philadelphia 76ers' Guerschon Yabusele during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Wednesday, Nov. 13, 2024, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
Cleveland Cavaliers' Donovan Mitchell (45) passes against Philadelphia 76ers' Adem Bona (30) during the second half of an NBA basketball game, Wednesday, Nov. 13, 2024, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
Cleveland Cavaliers' Darius Garland (10) goes up for a shot against Philadelphia 76ers' Jared McCain (20) and Caleb Martin (16) during the second half of an NBA basketball game, Wednesday, Nov. 13, 2024, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
Cleveland Cavaliers' Donovan Mitchell reacts after scoring during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Philadelphia 76ers, Wednesday, Nov. 13, 2024, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
PARIS (AP) — A heavy police presence but few visiting fans are expected when France hosts Israel in Nations League soccer on Thursday, a week after violence erupted in Amsterdam in connection with an Israeli club team’s visit.
French police chief Laurent Nuñez said 4,000 police officers and security staff will be deployed around the Stade de France, with another 1,500 police on public transport.
Paris authorities are on high alert following the violence in Amsterdam before and after a Europa League match between Ajax and Maccabi Tel Aviv. Dutch authorities say fans from both sides were involved in the unrest. The assaults on Maccabi fans sparked outrage and were widely condemned as antisemitic.
“What we learned from Amsterdam is that we need to be present in the public space including far away from the stadium," and in public transports before and after the match, Nuñez said Thursday on French news broadcaster France Info.
Three months after hosting the Olympic closing ceremony, the atmosphere has gone from festive to fearful and the national stadium was expected to be three-quarters empty for the match. French President Emmanuel Macron and French Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau will be present. Former presidents Francois Hollande and Nicolas Sarkozy are also to attend.
“We will not give in to antisemitism, anywhere. And violence, including in the French Republic, will never prevail, nor will intimidation,” Macron told BFM TV channel.
Only 20,000 of 80,000 tickets have been sold with around 150 Israel supporters reportedly attending, escorted by police.
“We’ve tried to prepare for this match as normally as possible. But obviously none of us within the team can be insensitive to such a heavy context,” France coach Didier Deschamps said Wednesday. “It impacts the amount of supporters present tomorrow and everything that goes with it.”
The away match against Israel on Oct. 10 — which France won 4-1 — was played in Budapest, Hungary.
“These are situations the players are not accustomed to,” Deschamps said. “But we have to adapt.”
The low number of visiting fans comes after Israel’s National Security Council warned citizens abroad to avoid sports and cultural events, specifically the match in Paris.
Retailleau told French news channel TF1 on Tuesday that no specific threats were identified but “zero risk does not exist.”
Therefore, he said, exceptional measures are in place "before the match, during the match and after the match."
The elite tactical unit of the French National Police, known as RAID, will be in the stadium and some police will be in plain clothes mingling with fans. There will also be heavy surveillance within Paris, including at Jewish places of worship and schools.
“It is out of the question that we take the risk of seeing a repeat of the dramatic events, of the manhunt, that we saw in Amsterdam,” Retailleau said, adding that postponing or moving the game elsewhere was ruled out.
“France does not submit, and the France-Israel match will take place where it's supposed to," he said.
In Amsterdam, a number of Maccabi fans attacked a cab and chanted anti-Arab slogans while some men carried out “hit and run” attacks on people they thought were Jews, according to city Mayor Femke Halsema.
After the match, parts of a large group of Maccabi supporters armed with sticks ran around “destroying things,” a 12-page report on the violence issued by Amsterdam authorities said.
There were also “rioters, moving in small groups, by foot, scooter or car, quickly attacking Maccabi fans before disappearing,” it said.
Protests erupted in Paris on Wednesday night against a controversial gala organized by far-right figures in support of Israel.
The game in Saint-Denis, the suburb north of Paris, is scheduled to kick off at 8:45 p.m. local time (1945 GMT).
A pro-Palestinian demonstration is organized on a Saint-Denis plaza at 6 p.m. local time to protest against the match.
Nine years ago, Stade de France was one of several locations during the Nov. 13 terror attacks in which 130 people died. France was playing Germany that night when two explosions happened outside the stadium.
Deschamps, Germany coach Joachim Löw and all of the players stayed together in the locker rooms for hours until it was safe to leave.
AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
Police officers patrol in front of the stadium ahead of the Nations League soccer match France against Israel outside the Stade de France stadium, Thursday, Nov. 14, 2024 in Saint-Denis, outside Paris. (AP Photo/Aurelien Morissard)
A mounted police officer patrols past the stadium ahead of the Nations League soccer match France against Israel outside the Stade de France stadium, Thursday, Nov. 14, 2024 in Saint-Denis, outside Paris. (AP Photo/Aurelien Morissard)
Police officers patrol in front of the stadium ahead of the Nations League soccer match France against Israel outside the Stade de France stadium, Thursday, Nov. 14, 2024 in Saint-Denis, outside Paris. (AP Photo/Aurelien Morissard)
Protesters take part in a rally against the "Israel is Forever" gala organized by far-right Franco-Israeli figures, in Paris, Wednesday, Nov. 13, 2024, on the eve of the UEFA Nations League 2025 soccer match between France and Israel. (AP Photo/Louise Delmotte)
FILE - Police officers stand guard ahead the UEFA Nations League soccer match between France and Denmark at the Stade de France in Saint Denis near Paris, France, Friday, June 3, 2022. (AP Photo/Jean-Francois Badias, File)
