Cavaliers score first 16 points, roll by Timberwolves in De'Andre Hunter's debut

CLEVELAND — The Minnesota Timberwolves never stood a chance. The Cavaliers scored the first 16 points in the game and never looked back in a wire-to-wire 128-107 blowout victory over the Timberwolves on Monday at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. Fans got their first glimpse of newly acquired De'Andre Hunter, who started at small forward with the ankle injury to Max Strus. Hunter had 12 points and converted three of four from beyond the 3-point line. "With his activity and size, he was a big reason we got off to the fast start," Cavs coach Kenny Atkinson said. "He's another elite defensive wing that can make a three. It was a real good debut for him." The coach said Hunter had no real breakdowns. "On both sides, he was almost perfect," Atkinson said. "He looks like a quick learner. It's going to take a while to see where he fits in best." Hunter said he wasn't sure the trade was going to happen. "Since they had the best record (in the Eastern Conference), I didn't think they needed any help," he said. "They showed they really wanted me." Hunter started out defensively on All-Star guard Anthony Edwards but picked up two quick fouls in the first quarter and was forced to the bench. "He's someone who is going to make shots," he said. "You can't get deflated." With Hunter on the bench, Edwards took over with a game-high 44 points for Minnesota (30-24). Atkinson said the Cavs tried every defensive tactic in the playbook against Edwards and "nothing worked." "We blitzed him," he said. "We tried a box-and-one. We threw different looks at him. He's an unbelievable player." The 6-foot-8, 225-pound Hunter got a huge ovation from the Cleveland fans. "That was great," he said. "It's always good to feel the love. It gave me an energy boost." The Cavs, who have won seven of their last eight games, were led by All-Star power forward Evan Mobley, who amassed 28 points, pulled won 10 rebounds, dished out six assists, tied his season-high with four blocks and had two steals. "He was kind of dominant," Atkinson said. "I loved how aggressive he was." Mobley, who finished 12-of-19 from the field, said he wanted to be "active, aggressive and make plays." The Cavs (43-10) won't return to Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse until Feb. 21 vs. the New York Knicks. They play their final game before the All-Star break in Toronto on Wednesday. Cleveland had six players reach double figures, including all five starters. Guard Donovan Mitchell fired in 23 points and dished out a game-high eight assists. Guard Ty Jerome came off the bench for 15 points and four assists, while guard Darius Garland added 17 points and center Jarrett Allen contributed 14 points and pulled down a game-high 13 rebounds. The Cavs had an exciting finish to the third quarter. Rookie Jaylon Tyson buried a 3-pointer from the corner with three seconds left. Jerome then stole a pass at the top of the key and knocked down another 3-pointer at the buzzer for a 104-78 advantage entering the final period. Cleveland maintained a 66-44 lead at halftime. Minnesota was held scoreless for the first seven minutes of the game and trailed 16-0. Rudy Gobert's free throw with 4:56 remaining in the first quarter snapped their scoreless streak. Edwards buried a 3-pointer for his team's first basket after missing their first 16 shots from the field. They didn't have a field goal for the first 9:07 of the game. The Timberwolves made 2-of-21 shots from the floor, 1-of-11 from the 3-point line in the opening quarter. Strus sidelined Strus missed Monday's game with soreness in his right ankle. He missed the first 27 games with a right ankle injury. Both Isaac Okoro (shoulder) and Dean Wade (knee) are expected back after the All-Star break. Wanting more The Cavs came into the Timberwolves game ranked eighth in the NBA in total defense. The players want to get up into the top five. "We've been good but not great," Atkinson said. He said the recent acquisition of Hunter can improve Cleveland's defense. He was Atlantic Coast Conference Defensive Player of the Year at Virginia. The Cavs coach said Hunter's athleticism and length can only help the defense. Offensively, Hunter also likes to post-up defenders around the basket. "We'd be foolish not to exploit that," Atkinson said. "We need to take advantage of mismatches." Buttoned up Atkinson said Hunter reminds him of an Ivy Leaguer. "He's smart, buttoned up and easy to talk to," he said. The coach doesn't think it will take long for Hunter to learn the Cavs' system. He told Atkinson that the Hawks ran similar plays in Atlanta but the terminology was different. Bob Finnan can be reached at rfinnan30@gmail.com. Follow him @BobCavsinsider on X.