Cavaliers overwhelm Clippers 124-91 as Garland watches after Cleveland’s trade for James Harden

A blowout shaped by turnovers, transition points and an unusual backdrop

The Cleveland Cavaliers delivered a lopsided 124-91 win over the Los Angeles Clippers on Wednesday night, Feb. 4, 2026, at Intuit Dome in Inglewood, Calif., in a game defined as much by its context as by the final margin. Darius Garland, traded earlier in the day from Cleveland to Los Angeles in exchange for James Harden, did not play and instead watched from courtside. Harden also did not appear for Cleveland.

Cleveland’s performance was decisive across four quarters, building a 36-18 first-quarter lead and taking a 62-42 advantage into halftime. The Cavaliers maintained control after the break, stretching the margin through the third quarter and pulling away further in the fourth.

Mitchell leads; Cavaliers’ newcomers contribute immediately

Donovan Mitchell paced Cleveland with 29 points and nine assists, orchestrating an offense that consistently generated quality looks and exploited Los Angeles’ mistakes. Jaylon Tyson added 17 points, while Jarrett Allen posted a double-double with 10 points and 11 rebounds.

Two recent additions also played notable roles. Dennis Schroder scored 11 points in his Cavaliers debut, and Keon Ellis added six in his first game with the club. Their integration came in a high-visibility setting, hours after a headline trade altered both teams’ backcourts.

Turnovers and three-point gap tilt the game early

The statistical profile of the game underscores why it became non-competitive quickly. Los Angeles committed 24 turnovers, and Cleveland converted those mistakes into 47 points. The Clippers also struggled from long range, making six of 28 three-point attempts (21.4%). Cleveland hit 16 three-pointers on 41 attempts (39.0%) and shot 51% overall from the floor.

Los Angeles briefly reduced the deficit in the second quarter, closing within 46-38, but Cleveland responded before halftime and never allowed the game to tighten again.

Clippers’ scoring efforts come without their newly acquired guard

Kawhi Leonard led the Clippers with 25 points and John Collins scored 19. Rookie Yanic Konan Niederhauser finished with 10 points and eight rebounds. Starting center Ivica Zubac did not play due to the birth of his child.

• Final score: Cavaliers 124, Clippers 91
• Date/venue: Feb. 4, 2026, Intuit Dome (Inglewood, California)
• Key swing factor: 24 Clippers turnovers leading to 47 Cavaliers points

The night’s central storyline lingered even with the ball in play: Garland and Harden, exchanged earlier in the day, were both absent from the rotation.

The result gave Cleveland another strong road showing while offering an early snapshot of how the team functioned without Garland on the floor—before Harden has logged a minute in a Cavaliers uniform.