Donovan Mitchell’s 24-Point 4th Q Leads Cavs 130-126 Over Wizards/ TezzBuzz/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ Donovan Mitchell scored 24 of his 48 points in the fourth quarter to lead the Cleveland Cavaliers to a thrilling 130-126 comeback win over the Washington Wizards. His fourth-quarter outburst is the highest by any NBA player this season. The Cavaliers erased a 17-point deficit despite poor three-point shooting.
Mitchell’s Historic Quarter Quick Looks
- Mitchell scored 24 points in the fourth quarter alone.
- That’s the highest-scoring fourth quarter in the NBA this season.
- He totaled 48 points, carrying the Cavaliers to a 130-126 win.
- Cleveland trailed by 17 points during the third quarter.
- Mitchell’s 11-point burst in under 3 minutes sparked the rally.
- Cavaliers shot just 15-of-53 from three but survived.
- Wizards dropped to 3-20 after another late collapse.
- Lonzo Ball iced the game with clutch free throws.
- Mitchell now averages a league-best 9.6 points in fourth quarters.
- Cleveland wins despite allowing 40 third-quarter points.
Deep Look: Donovan Mitchell’s Explosive Fourth Quarter Lifts Cavs Over Wizards
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Down by 15 heading into the fourth quarter, the Cleveland Cavaliers looked headed for an embarrassing loss to one of the league’s worst teams. But Donovan Mitchell had other plans.
The All-Star guard delivered a scorching 24-point fourth quarterthe highest in the NBA this season, and finished with 48 points overall to power the Cavaliers past the Washington Wizards 130-126 on Friday night.
It was a stunning turnaround from a game that appeared to be slipping away from Cleveland. After giving up 40 points in the third quarterthe Cavs entered the final frame trailing 100-85. Washington, who entered the night with a league-worst 3-19 record, seemed poised to notch a rare win.
Then Mitchell took over.
“Be aggressive,” Mitchell said postgame. “Can’t really lose this game coming out of the break.”
11 Points in Just 2.5 Minutes
Mitchell came out firing in the fourth, dropping 11 points in under three minutes to close the gap quickly. His shot-making, especially from beyond the arc, was relentless. Despite the Cavaliers’ poor overall night from deep (15-of-53 as a team), Mitchell personally went 8-for-15 from three.
He tied the game at 122 with a clutch three-pointer, then gave the Cavs the lead with a strong drive and layup inside the final minute. Cleveland never trailed again.
The 24-point quarter surpassed the previous season high of 22 points in a fourth by Orlando’s Jett Howard on November 23 against Boston. Mitchell’s league-best average of 9.6 points per fourth quarter continues to show why he’s one of the NBA’s premier closers.
“You’re playing a team that’s 3 and whatever, and you’re down 15, you can kind of tuck your tails,” Mitchell said. “But we found a way.”
Clutch Finish Despite a Weird Moment
In the game’s final minute, a potentially tense moment unfolded with a jump ball between Mitchell (6’3″) and Wizards forward Marvin Bagley III (6’11”). Both players mistimed their jumps, and the ball fell to Lonzo Ballwho coolly sank two free throws with 30.9 seconds leftgiving Cleveland a four-point cushion.
The Cavaliers then closed the game on defense, sealing the comeback and escaping what would have been one of their worst losses of the season.
Concerns Linger Despite the Win
Though the Cavs pulled off the comebackMitchell was quick to point out the bigger issue—falling behind to a struggling team.
“That can’t happen,” he said. “We have to figure it out.”
Despite the win, Cleveland’s defense gave up a staggering 40 points in the third quarterand their shooting woes from deep nearly cost them the game.
Still, the heroics of Mitchell turned a potential disaster into a gritty road win, and his ability to flip the switch when it mattered most continues to prove invaluable.
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