Darius Garland scores 24 points for NBA-leading Cavaliers in 115-105 victory over Wizards

CLEVELAND (AP) — Darius Garland scored 24 points and Jarrett Allen had 21 points and 11 rebounds as the NBA-leading Cleveland Cavaliers beat the Washington 115-105 on Friday night, sending the Wizards to their 18th loss in 19 games.

Donovan Mitchell scored 20 points and Garland added eight assists for Cleveland, which is 22-4 and holds a 1 1/2-game lead over Boston for the top record in the league. The Cavaliers, who lead the NBA in field-goal percentage, shot a season-low 39.6%.

Caris LeVert had 14 points and six assists and Isaac Okoro scored 13 points. Cleveland went 15 of 51 on 3-pointers.

Bilal Coulibaly tied his career high with 27 points and Jordan Poole scored 17 for the Wizards. Justin Champagnie had 16 points and eight rebounds as Washington fell to a league-worst 3-20.

Wizards: Alex Sarr, the No. 2 overall draft pick, returned after missing two games with a sore lower back and made his first five shots, including a 3-pointer. The 7-footer from France finished with 14 points and seven rebounds in 27 minutes.

Cavaliers: Power forward Evan Mobley, who is averaging 18.3 points and 9.1 rebounds, sprained his left ankle in the previous game at Miami and did not play. Coach Kenny Atkinson said he isn’t concerned the injury will be “a long-term thing.”

LeVert scored four points and absorbed a flagrant foul from Poole during a 7-0 Cavaliers run that bridged the third and fourth quarters, finally giving them breathing room with an 89-80 lead.

Cleveland improved to 14-1 at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse this season, the second-best home mark in the NBA behind unbeaten Orlando. The Cavaliers also beat Washington for the 11th straight time, their longest streak in the 55-year series.

Wizards host Boston on Sunday, and Cavaliers visit Brooklyn on Monday.

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Cleveland Cavaliers guard Darius Garland (10) reacts after being striped of the ball and fouled by Anthony Gill, not in the photo, in the first half of an NBA basketball game, Friday, Dec. 13, 2024, in Cleveland. Wizards Justin Champagnie (9) is at left. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)

Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell (45) shoots in front of Washington Wizards guard Jared Butler, left, in the first half of an NBA basketball game, Friday, Dec. 13, 2024, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)

Washington Wizards head coach Brian Keefe gestures in the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Cleveland Cavaliers Friday, Dec. 13, 2024, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)

Cleveland Cavaliers guard Caris LeVert (3) shoots in front of Washington Wizards guard Bilal Coulibaly, right, in the first half of an NBA basketball game, Friday, Dec. 13, 2024, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)

Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell (45) drives around Washington Wizards forward Justin Champagnie, left, in the first half of an NBA basketball game, Friday, Dec. 13, 2024, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)

Cleveland Cavaliers guard Caris LeVert (3) drives against Washington Wizards forward Justin Champagnie (9) in the first half of an NBA basketball game, Friday, Dec. 13, 2024, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)

Cleveland Cavaliers forward Isaac Okoro (35) goes to the basket between Washington Wizards guard Bilal Coulibaly (0) and guard Jordan Poole (13) in the first half of an NBA basketball game, Friday, Dec. 13, 2024, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)

Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell (45) is defended by Washington Wizards guard Bub Carrington (8) in the first half of an NBA basketball game, Friday, Dec. 13, 2024, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Joel Embiid sustained a sinus fracture when he was struck in the face going for a defensive rebound late in the first half of the Philadelphia 76ers’ loss to the Indiana Pacers on Friday night.

Embiid was battling Indiana’s Bennedict Mathurin when he caught an errant forearm and elbow to the bridge of the nose. Embiid crumpled to the ground as play continued up floor and stayed down near the Philadelphia bench, holding his face.

Embiid left Wells Fargo Center for evaluation, with the 76ers later announcing the sinus fracture. The team said he will be further evaluated this weekend.

Embiid had 12 points, four rebounds and five assists in 17 1/2 minutes in Philadelphia's 121-107 loss to the Pacers.

Embiid was only playing his sixth game out of the 23 that Philadelphia has played. He has been bothered by swelling in his left knee and also served a three-game suspension for a physical incident with a reporter.

Embiid, Tyrese Maxey and Paul George — billed as Philadelphia’s “Big Three” after George’s offseason arrival — have played parts of only three games together. The Sixers are 7-16 on the season.

“You just have to move on and practice when we practice again and have a next man up mentality,” said Maxey, who led Philadelphia with 22 points. “What sucks about this is that we were moving in the right direction. Guys were figuring out roles, what coach wants from them and playing the right way. We know how to play with Joel – and now, we may have to revert our minds back to playing without him. That’s OK. It’s different. That’s how life is.”

Embiid also has had number of face injuries, including an orbital bone fracture after a collision with Toronto’s Pascal Siakam during the 2022 playoffs and one in 2018 after colliding with teammate Markelle Fultz. Last year, Embiid had Bell’s Palsy during a first-round playoff loss to New York.

Embiid told ESPN after Sunday’s victory in Chicago that his left knee issues this season were “depressing” because of the swelling not being related to an injury. That was Philadelphia’s last game before Friday.

“He’s been in a really good place all week and he practiced all week,” coach Nick Nurse said when asked about Embiid’s state of mind. “We did a lot of stuff to get up to speed with him. But I can imagine that he can feel like the black cloud is over him a little bit. He just keeps running into something, really, unfortunately.”

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Philadelphia 76ers' Joel Embiid, left, drives to the basket against Indiana Pacers' Myles Turner, right, during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Friday, Dec. 13, 2024, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Chris Szagola)

Indiana Pacers' Myles Turner, center, dunks the ball as Philadelphia 76ers' Joel Embiid, left, and Paul George, right, are defend during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Friday, Dec. 13, 2024, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Chris Szagola)

Philadelphia 76ers' Joel Embiid, center, gets helped off the court after getting hit in the face during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Indiana Pacers, Friday, Dec. 13, 2024, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Chris Szagola)