How the Cavaliers Offense Stayed Hot out of NBA All-Star Break in Victory Over Nets

The Cleveland Cavaliers started their post-All-Star break run off with a bang as they defeated the Brooklyn Nets in a 112-84 win on Thursday. All-Star guard Donovan Mitchell led the Cavs in scoring with 17 points in the home bout. Forward Michael Porter Jr. countered with 14 points for the Nets while tacking on five rebounds.

Evan Mobley made his return from a left calf strain after missing the last seven games. The former Defensive Player of the Year ended the night with 10 points and nine rebounds in about 19 minutes of play. He joined a 7-year Cavalier in forward Dean Wade in the starting five, which accounted for 69 of the Cavs' points in the Thursday-night bout. The bench still barely outscored Brooklyn's by a 3-point difference, which was only bolstered by 19 points from some of Cleveland's newest additions in Dennis Schröder and Keon Ellis.

Cleveland Cavaliers center Evan Mobley and Brooklyn Nets forward Noah Clowney — Feb 19, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Brooklyn Nets forward Noah Clowney (21) guards Cleveland Cavaliers center Evan Mobley (4) during the first quarter at Rocket Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images | Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

Cleveland's Offense Stays Hot

Cleveland's offense didn't slow down after the break as the Cavs flew out to an early 16-5 lead. They would end the first quarter with a clip of about 62% from the floor as they outpaced the Nets while hammering them from the paint and beyond the arc.

The Cavs' reserve guards proved to be the standouts on both sides of the floor that kept the Nets from responding with a near-even effort in the second quarter. They kept the pedal to the medal in the third as they sped away with a 35-point difference by quarter's end, which led to their fourth-largest margin of victory this season.

The Cavs entered the night with a league-leading 119.4 offensive rating over their last 15 games. It jumped out by just over seven points over their last three games following the addition of former All-NBA guard James Harden, which ranked only behind the San Antonio Spurs for second place in the NBA over the same span. The 11-time All-Star added 16 points and dished nine assists as he continued to fit well alongside Mitchell and center Jarrett Allen. Allen would log a 15-point, 10-rebound double-double, his 14th of the year and fifth in his last six matchups.

Cleveland will move on to face the Charlotte Hornets, who nearly climbed back to a .500 record with a sudden flood of wins before the All-Star break. The Cavs are 2-1 against the Hornets this season following a January win that saw Mitchell lead the way with 24 points.

While he has yet to suit up for the surging squad, the Hornets added a North Carolina native and former UNC standout in guard Coby White from the Chicago Bulls to keep the good times rolling before the regular-season home stretch. The Cavs made a pre-deadline splash of their own with Harden, who has averaged about 19 points and nine assists per game since he was shipped over from the Los Angeles Clippers earlier this month.

The Cavaliers will tip off against the Hornets at 7 p.m. EST on Friday in the Spectrum Center. The game will be broadcast on FanDuel Sports Network - Ohio.