What the Cleveland Cavaliers did to win home opener against Milwaukee Bucks

The Cleveland Cavaliers secured a 118-113 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks in their home opener, demonstrating strong teamwork and resilience throughout the game.

Key contributions for the Cavaliers included De'Andre Hunter's return to the starting lineup, where he scored 16 points and grabbed four rebounds, and Sam Merrill's continued stellar shooting with 17 points, including a 44.4% success rate from three-point range. Despite Donovan Mitchell's slow start in the first half, he contributed with rebounds and assists, and along with Evan Mobley, combined for 47 points, with the team effort helping to maintain pace against the high-scoring Bucks.

For the Milwaukee Bucks, Giannis Antetokounmpo dominated with 40 points and 14 rebounds, consistently driving to the basket, while A.J. Green added 20 points, hitting four of seven three-point attempts. The Bucks started the scoring with Gary Trent Jr., but both teams struggled from the perimeter early in the game, with Merrill making the only two three-pointers for the Cavs in the first quarter.

The game saw fluctuations, as the Cavaliers nearly let a significant lead slip in the third quarter when Antetokounmpo and Green fueled a Bucks comeback, reminiscent of a previous close win against the Brooklyn Nets. However, Cleveland executed clutch shots late in the game to pull away and secure the victory, despite Milwaukee's strong three-point shooting of 13 makes on 33 attempts, compared to the Cavs' 30% accuracy from beyond the arc.

Looking ahead, the Cavaliers are scheduled to face the Detroit Pistons on Monday at Little Caesars Arena, with the game broadcast on Peacock.