Cavs Demolish Clippers Day After Harden Trade

Donovan Mitchell leads Cleveland to blowout win over Los Angeles

Feb. 5, 2026 at 5:55am

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The Cleveland Cavaliers dominated the Los Angeles Clippers 124-91 on Wednesday night, just one day after the two teams completed a trade that sent James Harden to the Cavs and Darius Garland to the Clippers. Donovan Mitchell led Cleveland with 29 points, 9 assists and 5 rebounds, while Kawhi Leonard scored 25 points for the Clippers. Neither Harden nor Garland were able to play in the game as the trade was still pending.

Why it matters

The lopsided victory for the Cavaliers demonstrates the team's strength and depth, even with the major trade just completed. It also raises questions about the Clippers' ability to compete at the highest level this season as they integrate a new star player in Garland.

The details

The Cavaliers dominated from the start, leading 36-18 after the first quarter. They continued to pull away, leading by as many as 35 points in the fourth quarter. Cleveland shot 51% from the field and forced 24 Clippers turnovers, scoring 47 points off those miscues. Jaylon Tyson added 17 points for the Cavs, while Kawhi Leonard and John Collins led the Clippers with 25 and 19 points respectively.

  • The game was played on Wednesday, February 5, 2026.
  • The trade between the Cavaliers and Clippers that sent James Harden and Darius Garland to new teams was completed the day before the game.

The players

Donovan Mitchell

A star player for the Cleveland Cavaliers who had 29 points, 9 assists and 5 rebounds in the blowout win.

Kawhi Leonard

The Clippers' star forward who scored a team-high 25 points in the loss.

James Harden

The veteran guard who was traded from the Clippers to the Cavaliers as part of the deal completed the day before the game.

Darius Garland

The Cavaliers' young star who was traded to the Clippers as part of the deal completed the day before the game.

Jaylon Tyson

A Cavaliers player who scored 17 points off the bench in the win.

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What they’re saying

“We must have been excited to get out there and show what we can do, even with the big trade just happening.”

— Donovan Mitchell, Cavaliers Guard

What’s next

The Cavaliers will look to build on this dominant win as they integrate James Harden into their lineup, while the Clippers will need to quickly get Darius Garland up to speed to try and turn their season around.

The takeaway

This game demonstrated the Cavaliers' ability to win convincingly even with major roster changes, while raising questions about the Clippers' ability to compete at the highest level this season as they work to incorporate a new star player.