Cavaliers Rout Clippers 124-89 After Garland-Harden Trade

Donovan Mitchell leads Cavaliers to blowout win over Clippers in first game after blockbuster trade.

Feb. 5, 2026 at 12:31am

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The Cleveland Cavaliers routed the Los Angeles Clippers 124-89 on Wednesday night, just hours after the teams completed a trade that sent All-Star guard Darius Garland from the Cavaliers to the Clippers in exchange for James Harden. Neither Garland nor Harden took the court for their new teams in the game. Donovan Mitchell scored 29 points and had 9 assists to lead the Cavaliers, who won for the 7th time in 8 games. The Clippers, who were without starting center Ivica Zubac, shot just 21.4% from 3-point range and had 24 turnovers that the Cavaliers converted into 47 points.

Why it matters

The blockbuster trade between the Cavaliers and Clippers involving All-Stars Darius Garland and James Harden was the major NBA story of the day, and this lopsided game highlighted the immediate impact of the deal, with the Cavaliers looking dominant without Garland while the Clippers struggled without Harden.

The details

Donovan Mitchell led the Cavaliers with 29 points and 9 assists, while Jaylon Tyson added 17 points. The Cavaliers shot 51% from the field and 39% from 3-point range. For the Clippers, Kawhi Leonard scored 25 points and John Collins had 19, but the team shot just 21.4% from 3 and had 24 turnovers. The Cavaliers raced out to a 20-point lead late in the first quarter and led by as many as 35 points in the fourth quarter.

  • The trade between the Cavaliers and Clippers was completed earlier on Wednesday, prior to the game.

The players

Donovan Mitchell

A star guard for the Cleveland Cavaliers who scored 29 points and had 9 assists in the blowout win.

Darius Garland

The All-Star guard who was traded from the Cavaliers to the Clippers earlier in the day, but did not play in this game.

James Harden

The All-Star guard who was traded from the Clippers to the Cavaliers earlier in the day, but did not play in this game.

Kawhi Leonard

The star forward for the Los Angeles Clippers who scored 25 points in the loss.

John Collins

The Clippers forward who scored 19 points in the game.

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What they’re saying

“We must not let individuals continue to damage private property in San Francisco.”

— Robert Jenkins, San Francisco resident

The takeaway

This lopsided game highlighted the immediate impact of the blockbuster trade between the Cavaliers and Clippers, with the Cavaliers looking dominant without Garland while the Clippers struggled without Harden. The trade has set the stage for an intriguing second half of the NBA season as both teams adjust to their new star players.