Pro Sports

Cavs win 3rd straight to open season, rout 76ers 118-94

Posted December 27, 2020 6:00 am

By BRIAN DULIK

Cleveland Cavaliers' Andre Drummond (3) drives between Philadelphia 76ers' Shake Milton (18) and Mike Scott (1) in the second half of an NBA basketball game, Sunday, Dec. 27, 2020, in Cleveland. The Cavaliers won 118-94. (AP Photo/Tony Dejak) The Associated Press

CLEVELAND (AP) - Andre Drummond scored 24 points, grabbed 14 rebounds and made three steals as the Cleveland Cavaliers won their third straight game to start the season, 118-94 over the Philadelphia 76ers on Sunday night.

Collin Sexton added 22 points and Darius Garland had 14 points and seven assists for Cleveland, which finished with the second-worst record in the NBA last season at 19-46. The Cavaliers are 3-0 for the first time since winning six in a row to begin 2016-2017.

Tobias Harris had 16 points, nine rebounds and five assists for Philadelphia, which fell to 2-1 and played without center Joel Embiid (back tightness). Ben Simmons scored 15 points and Dwight Howard had nine points and four fouls filling in for Embiid.

Cavaliers power forward Kevin Love (right calf strain) left in the second quarter and did not return. Love missed the season opener with the same injury, which coach J.B. Bickerstaff said was an ongoing concern.

Cleveland took its largest lead at 108-76 on Cedi Osman's driving layup with 8:30 left. The Cavs forced 22 turnovers, six by Simmons, and turned them into 35 points.

Both teams completed their first back-to-back set of the season. The Cavaliers beat Detroit 128-119 in double overtime Saturday, while Philadelphia won 109-89 in New York.

Drummond, who has three double-doubles, netted 15 points and 10 rebounds in the first half as Cleveland carried a 64-50 advantage into the break. Harris and Simmons had 13 points apiece for the 76ers.

WAITING GAME

Cavaliers G Kevin Porter Jr. (personal reasons) has yet to dress for a game as the front office mulls whether to discipline him for an offseason arrest. The second-year pro was expected to serve as Cleveland's sixth man. 'œWe're still having those conversations, still working through the plan, organizationally,'ť Bickerstaff said.

TIP-INS

76ers: Embiid, a three-time All-Star, averaged 28 points and 12 rebounds in the first two games, leading the team in both categories against Washington and New York. '¦ Howard committed a flagrant foul against Dante Exum in the second. '¦ F Danny Green spent his rookie season with Cleveland, appearing in 20 games in 2009-10.

Cavaliers: Rookie F Isaac Okoro (left foot sprain) did not play after being injured at Detroit. The No. 5 overall draft pick started the first two games. '¦ G Matthew Dellavedova (concussion) and rookie F Dylan Windler (broken left hand) also were inactive. '¦ Cleveland debuted its rock-and-roll themed black alternate uniforms.

UP NEXT

76ers: Host Toronto on Tuesday. Philadelphia dropped three of four games to the then-NBA champion Raptors last season, but won the only matchup at Wells Fargo Center.

Cavaliers: Host New York on Tuesday. Cleveland then heads on the road for six games - its longest trip of the season - before returning home to play Memphis on Jan. 22.

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More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

Philadelphia 76ers' Mike Scott, right, drives against Cleveland Cavaliers' Dante Exum in the second half of an NBA basketball game, Sunday, Dec. 27, 2020, in Cleveland. The Cavaliers won 118-94. (AP Photo/Tony Dejak) The Associated Press

Philadelphia 76ers' Tobias Harris (12) tries to get past Cleveland Cavaliers' Dante Exum (1) and Larry Nance Jr. (22) in the second half of an NBA basketball game, Sunday, Dec. 27, 2020, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Tony Dejak) The Associated Press

Philadelphia 76ers' Tyrese Maxey (0) drives against Cleveland Cavaliers' JaVale McGee (6) in the second half of an NBA basketball game, Sunday, Dec. 27, 2020, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Tony Dejak) The Associated Press

Cleveland Cavaliers' Cedi Osman (16) drives to the basket against the Philadelphia 76ers in the first half of an NBA basketball game, Sunday, Dec. 27, 2020, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Tony Dejak) The Associated Press

Philadelphia 76ers' Furkan Korkmaz (30) drives past Cleveland Cavaliers' Darius Garland (10) in the first half of an NBA basketball game, Sunday, Dec. 27, 2020, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Tony Dejak) The Associated Press

Philadelphia 76ers' Ben Simmons, back, passes over Cleveland Cavaliers' Andre Drummond in the first half of an NBA basketball game, Sunday, Dec. 27, 2020, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Tony Dejak) The Associated Press

Philadelphia 76ers head coach Doc Rivers talks with his players during a timeout in the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Cleveland Cavaliers, Sunday, Dec. 27, 2020, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Tony Dejak) The Associated Press

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