Donovan Mitchell, Cavs keep rolling, cool off Knicks

Donovan Mitchell scored 23 points and James Harden had 20 points as the Cleveland Cavaliers won for the eighth time in their last nine games, posting a 109-94 victory over the visiting New York Knicks on Tuesday night.

Jarrett Allen collected 19 points on 7-of-8 field-goal attempts and grabbed 10 rebounds for Cleveland, which tied New York for third place in the Eastern Conference. The Cavaliers are 6-1 with Harden in the lineup and a league-best 13-2 since Jan. 21.

Jalen Brunson scored 20 points and Mikal Bridges had 18, but the starting guards shot a combined 12 of 36 from the field for the Knicks. Mitchell Robinson posted 11 points and 15 rebounds in 19 minutes off the bench.

Cleveland also received 12 points apiece from Evan Mobley and Jaylon Tyson, and 11 points and eight rebounds from Dean Wade. Allen has eight double-doubles in the last nine games.

New York, which only led for 19 seconds and trailed by 20 in the fourth quarter, is 12-4 since Jan. 19. Karl-Anthony Towns had 14 points, seven rebounds and a game-high five turnovers, while Josh Hart scored 10.

Cleveland took command in the third, limiting New York to 11 points on 3-of-24 attempts to extend its advantage to 83-65 entering the fourth. Harden had eight points, including two 3-pointers, and Allen added six points and five rebounds.

The Cavaliers jumped ahead by 12 early in the second and received back-to-back dunks from Allen before the Knicks closed within 60-54 at the half. Towns had eight points in the period without missing a shot, totaling eight points and four rebounds.

Mitchell had nine points and four assists and Harden scored seven in the first quarter when Cleveland took a 35-26 lead. Brunson and Hart each had seven points for New York.

Both teams were as healthy as they have been all season, missing just one rotation player apiece. Knicks guard Miles McBride (pelvic core muscle surgery) could return for the playoffs, while Cavaliers guard Max Strus (left foot surgery) remains out indefinitely.