Cavs Questions: Down 15, Won in OT, and Two Games in Two…

By the Cavaliers Nightly Desk · Tuesday, October 27

The Cavaliers handed Minnesota its first loss, 127-125 in overtime, after trailing by 15 and absorbing 47 points from Anthony Edwards. At 2-1 they jumped from ninth to sixth, with Washington at home Wednesday and Atlanta on the road Thursday.

Cavaliers Nightly artwork — Illustration by Hoops Nightly.

Did the Cavs finally close one out?

Yes, and they did it the hard way. Minnesota led by as many as 15, and Cleveland's biggest lead all night was five. In overtime Mitchell and Mobley scored five each. Harden hit two free throws with 13 seconds left for a 125-122 edge, LaMelo Ball missed both of his, Edwards missed a 25-foot pull-up, and Peyton Watson's two free throws sealed it.

Where did the comeback actually come from?

The third quarter. Cleveland put up 36 points in it, and a 12-0 run turned a 69-58 deficit into a 70-69 lead. The bench gave the comeback real weight with 39 points. Meleek Thomas, in his first appearance of the season, scored 16 in 19 minutes and hit 4 of 5 threes. Jaylon Tyson added 11 points and five assists, and his plus-15 in 20 minutes was the best mark on the team.

What does Edwards scoring 47 say about the defense?

One man beat it and almost nobody else did. Edwards went 19 of 34 and scored 11 of Minnesota's 12 overtime points, and no other Wolf scored more than 14. Watson had the best defensive night on the roster with three steals and four blocks to go with 15 points and eight rebounds, though he missed all five of his threes. Ball alone gave the ball away seven times.

Can they handle Washington and Atlanta on consecutive nights?

They have to. The Wizards come to Rocket Arena Wednesday, then Cleveland plays at Atlanta Thursday, at Milwaukee Saturday and twice against Oklahoma City on November 2 and 4. The injury list is clear. The open question is whether Kenny Atkinson keeps trusting Thomas and Tyson late, or stays with the five who closed Monday: Mitchell, Harden, Mobley, Watson and Sam Merrill.

The verdictThis was the first tight finish Cleveland controlled instead of barely surviving, and the bench made it possible. The next two nights will show whether that holds up.

Who won Cavs vs. Timberwolves on October 26, 2026?

The Cavaliers won 127-125 in overtime and ended Minnesota's 3-0 start. Donovan Mitchell led Cleveland with 26 points, and Anthony Edwards scored 47 for the Wolves.

When do the Cavaliers play next?

Cleveland hosts the Wizards on Wednesday, October 28. The next night, Thursday, October 29, it plays at Atlanta on NBA TV.

By the Cavaliers Nightly Desk, written from the club's data and the reports on file, with every name and number checked against them. How the desks work.