Watch: Donovan Mitchell beats the Nets late

Down 113-111, Mitchell hit a three-pointer with 12 seconds to go to give his Cavaliers a 114-113 win over Brooklyn. Cameron Johnson tried to draw a charge on Mitchell when they collided on the perimeter, but the referee let it go and Mitchell canned the open shot. The Cavs All-Star finished with 27 points, six assists and five rebounds.

It wasn’t just offense for Mitchell, who scored seven points in the last 76 seconds of the game. With 43 seconds left, Mitchell stole the ball from Royce O'Neale and took it in for a dunk to tie the game at 111 apiece

It was one of Mitchell's game-high four steals, on a night where he didn't turn the ball over a single time.

Speaking of which, O'Neale's turnover came as Brooklyn played a strange, point-guard-free lineup down the stretch, where the offense stagnated. It's likely because Nets coach Jacque Vaughn didn't want Ben Simmons, who had nine assists and 10 rebounds, on the court down the stretch when he might have to shoot free throws. It was a strong performance from Simmons in his first game since Feb. 15, but his foul shooting might be an issue for Brooklyn this year.

The Nets wasted a strong performance from third-year guard Cam Thomas, who scored 36 points off the bench.

But he couldn't come through on the final play of the game, when the Cavaliers defense stifled the Nets and Thomas clanked a wild shot in the final seconds.

The Nets showed off a lot of talent in their first game. But they still don't have a Donovan Mitchell.