SPORT

SERB IN INCREASINGLY BETTER FORM: Tristan Vukčević continued his streak of games with more than 10 points, Washington defeated by Cleveland!

by Serbian Times13. December 2025.13. December 2025.

It is unnecessary to waste words on Donovan Mitchell’s scoring abilities.

The man who scored 71 points in a single NBA game less than three years ago once again demonstrated why he is considered one of the deadliest scorers today. Only Kobe Bryant (81, 2006) and Luka Dončić (73, 2024) have scored more points in a single game in the 21st century.

This time, the popular “Spida,” with 48 points, practically single-handedly pulled Cleveland out of the abyss and brought the Cavaliers a victory on the road against Washington—130:126, in a game that could have easily turned into one of the biggest embarrassments of the season for the big favorite, and in which Tristan Vukčević played a good game for the league’s worst team.

The Wizards had a lead of as much as 17 points with just over two minutes remaining in the third quarter, while Cleveland looked sluggish, uninterested, and completely out of rhythm. The host, who entered the game with a 3–20 record and without three starters, was on the verge of a sensation.

However, when it was most needed, Mitchell took responsibility.

The thirteenth pick from the 2017 draft finished the game with 17/30 shooting from the field, including 8/15 for three-pointers, along with a perfect 6/6 from the free-throw line. He scored 24 points in the final quarter alone and practically broke Washington’s resistance by himself.

His biggest help came from Evan Mobley (21 points, 13 rebounds), while Darius Garland added 18, and De’Andre Hunter 15 points. Without Mitchell, Cleveland would have suffered a defeat that would have been talked about for days—this way, a narrow victory was recorded, but a serious warning was also sent.

The Cavaliers are now tied for sixth and seventh place in the Eastern Conference with the Toronto Raptors and have a 15–11 record, while the Wizards are convincingly the worst team in the league at 3–21.

The most efficient players for Washington were Carlton Carrington with 27 and CJ McCollum with 25 points.

The performance of Tristan Vukčević is particularly worth noting, as he scored a double-digit number of points for the fifth consecutive game. The Serbian power forward scored 14 points in 15 minutes on the court, shooting 3/7 from the field, but was flawless from the penalty line—8/8.

In the next round, Washington visits Indiana on Sunday at 9:00 PM, while Cleveland will host Charlotte that same evening at 9:30 PM.