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Cavaliers beat short-handed Bucks as Giannis misses game

By Steve Megargee
Published  March 17, 2026 10:00pm CDT
Milwaukee Bucks
Associated Press
article

MILWAUKEE, WI - MARCH 17: Evan Mobley #4 of the Cleveland Cavaliers dunks the ball during the game against the Milwaukee Bucks on March 17, 2026 at Fiserv Forum Center in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that

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The Brief

    • The Cavaliers defeated the short-handed Bucks 123-116 as Milwaukee played without Giannis Antetokounmpo.
    • Evan Mobley and James Harden each scored 27 points to lead Cleveland in a back-and-forth game.
    • Milwaukee shot well from 3-point range but was outpaced at the free-throw line in the loss.

MILWAUKEE - Evan Mobley had 27 points and a season-high 15 rebounds, and James Harden also scored 27 as the Cleveland Cavaliers opened a three-game trip by beating the short-handed Milwaukee Bucks 123-116 on Tuesday night.

Milwaukee's Giannis Antetokounmpo sat out with a left knee hyperextension and bone bruise. This was the career-high 32nd game the two-time MVP has missed this season, and the Bucks fell to 11-21 without him.

The Bucks also didn't have Myles Turner because of a right calf strain. Cleveland's Jarrett Allen missed a sixth straight game because of tendinitis in his right knee.

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In a game featuring 11 ties and 16 lead changes, Cleveland pulled ahead for good 103-100 on Sam Merrill's 3-pointer with 6:55 remaining, which started an 8-0 run.

Milwaukee cut the lead to 110-106 on an Ousmane Dieng's 3-pointer with 3:39 left, but Cleveland responded with seven straight points. The Cavs stayed in front by at least five the rest of the way.

Milwaukee's Kevin Porter Jr. had 25 points and 10 assists. Dieng, Bobby Portis and Ryan Rollins added 19 points each.

Cleveland's Donovan Mitchell scored 19 points. Merrill added 17 points in his return from a two-game absence due to left hamstring tightness.

Milwaukee’s Taurean Prince played 22 minutes and scored eight points in his first start of the season. Prince, who has played just 10 games this season, returned earlier this month after undergoing surgery in November to repair a herniated disk in his neck.

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The Bucks shot 20 of 45 from 3-point range, and their bench outscored Cleveland's 57-24. The Cavs compensated with a commanding edge from the foul line, going 27 of 34 while the Bucks were 12 of 17.

Up next

Cavaliers: At Chicago on Thursday.

Bucks: At Utah on Thursday.

The Source: The Associated Press

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