The NBA announced a scoring correction in the Cleveland Cavaliers' NBA Cup victory over the Washington Wizards, adjusting the final score from 148-114 to 148-115 after a free throw by rookie Tre Johnson was initially recorded as a miss. The Cavaliers improved to 1-1 in East Group A with the win on Friday night in Washington. Donovan Mitchell led Cleveland with 24 points in the rout.
The Cleveland Cavaliers defeated the Washington Wizards 148-115 in an NBA Cup game on Friday night, though the league corrected the score the following day to account for a second-quarter scoring error. Initially reported as 148-114, the final tally was adjusted after Wizards rookie Tre Johnson was credited for making both free throws at the 8:15 mark, rather than splitting the pair. Johnson finished with 19 points in his performance.
Cleveland built a commanding lead early, holding a 76-60 halftime advantage before extending it to 109-87 after three quarters. The Cavaliers fell one point short of their franchise record for points in a regulation game, previously set at 149 in a December 2024 victory over Denver. They also matched a 148-point output from a 1991 win over Miami.
Donovan Mitchell scored 24 points, continuing his strong form after a 46-point outing against Philadelphia two days prior. Darius Garland, in his second game back from toe surgery, added 20 points and nine assists, including 14 points on 5-for-5 shooting in the first half with two 3-pointers. Sam Merrill contributed 14 first-half points, going 4-for-5 from beyond the arc but scoring none after halftime. Evan Mobley had 18 points and 10 rebounds, while Jarrett Allen recorded 16 points and 14 rebounds. Tyrese Proctor added 17 points, and Cleveland grabbed 25 offensive rebounds.
For Washington, CJ McCollum scored 25 points with 20 in the first half, and Alex Sarr finished with 20. The Wizards dropped to 0-1 in the NBA Cup and 1-8 overall, having lost seven straight games.
The correction impacts the NBA Cup standings, where point differential serves as a tiebreaker. Cleveland sits at 1-1 with a +22 differential in East Group A, behind the 2-0 Toronto Raptors (+23) and ahead of the 1-1 Atlanta Hawks (+8). Washington is last at 0-1 and -33.
Both teams play back-to-backs Saturday: Cleveland hosts Chicago, and Washington hosts Dallas. Mitchell missed the Cavaliers' prior Cup loss to Toronto due to hamstring tightness but has helped them win three straight overall.
