By TOM WITHERS AP Sports Writer
CLEVELAND — The Clippers couldn’t follow their impressive win in Boston with an encore.
Donovan Mitchell had 28 points and 12 assists and Jarrett Allen extended his double-double streak to 15 straight games, leading the Cleveland Cavaliers to a 118-108 victory over the Clippers on Monday night.
Isaac Okoro added 17 points – all in the first half – as the Cavs held off the Clippers’ late comeback bid and ended their winning streak at five games.
The Clippers (30-15) lost for just the fifth time in 27 games since Dec. 1, while Cleveland (27-16) improved to 10-1 since Jan. 3.
Kawhi Leonard scored 30 and Norman Powell 18 for the Clippers, who got within four in the final two minutes but fell to 2-1 on a season-long seven-game road trip.
Paul George scored 13 on 3-for-11 shooting for the Clippers before fouling out with 3:07 left.
Allen finished with 20 points and 17 rebounds, extending his franchise record for consecutive games with double digits in points and boards. The Cavs needed Allen to step up his game while Evan Mobley was out with a knee injury, and the affable center has done that and more over the past month.
Cleveland’s Caris LeVert, who has developed a knack for hitting buzzer-beaters at home, dropped a step-back jumper before the horn – it was initially ruled a 3-pointer – to give the Cavs an 88-81 lead entering the fourth quarter.
The Cavs pushed their lead to 12 before the Clippers fought back and got within 112-108 on Amir Coffey’s jumper. However, Coffey missed a free throw that would have pulled the visitors even closer and Mitchell dropped an 18-foot jumper with 1:09 remaining.
Cleveland is finally closer to full strength.
Mobley, a former USC standout, played for the first time since undergoing left knee surgery on Dec. 18. He finished with 10 points and nine rebounds in 21 minutes. The Cavs plan to initially limit his time until he works back into game shape.
Mobley’s return is…
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