Donovan Mitchell scores 25, Max Strus 24 as Cavaliers beat Warriors, clinch playoff berth

SAN FRANCISCO — A spot in the playoffs hasn't been in doubt for a while. Nonetheless, clinching one Thursday night was special to the Cavaliers. Donovan Mitchell had 25 points and six rebounds, Max Strus' 3-pointer with 54 seconds left helped seal it as he scored 24 and the Cavaliers beat the Golden State Warriors 118-111. James Harden contributed 19 points and five assists as the Cavs won for the seventh time in nine games during a stretch playing five times in eight nights. "I just think of 17-16 at one point, that moment where it seemed like the sky was falling," coach Kenny Atkinson said of the team's slow start to the season. "It makes you appreciate a little more, the struggles we went through." The Cavaliers secured a postseason berth by avoiding the play-in games. They hold the No. 4 seed in the Eastern Conference with five games left. "We want more obviously. We have the talent to do a lot more," Atkinson said. "Considering what we went through, injuries, not playing well for stretches at the beginning of the year, we've kind of found our north." Gui Santos and Brandin Podziemski scored 25 points apiece for the Warriors, who were missing Stephen Curry for the 27th straight game but his return could come as soon as Sunday. He scrimmaged 5-on-5 for the third time in as many days to test his injured right knee that has sidelined him since Jan. 30. Coach Steve Kerr said Curry and Vice President of Player Health and Performance Rick Celebrini might decide as soon as today based on how Curry feels a day later whether he can return to face the Rockets. With 9:28 left, Cleveland's Dennis Schroder made a hard foul from behind on a driving LJ Cryer and it was reviewed and ruled a Flagrant 1 for his leap and kick into the Warriors guard. Draymond Green was called for a technical on the play after he shoved Schroder while helping Cryer up from the floor. Schroder was whistled for a technical seven seconds later, then Cavs coach Kenny Atkinson — a former Warriors top assistant — received a technical. "James and Donovan were our compass. They settled us down," Atkinson said. Kristaps Porzingis had 16 points and seven rebounds for the Warriors after sitting out a 127-113 loss to San Antonio on Wednesday in the front end of a back-to-back, while Gary Payton II also rested his right knee for the first game before playing Thursday and matching his career high with 12 rebounds. Golden State also got some other reinforcements back with the returns of Santos after he was hit in the pelvic bone and De'Anthony Melton from a sprained left thumb. Green passed Larry Smith (6,440) for third on the Warriors' career rebounding list. Up next Cavaliers: Host Indiana on Sunday. Warriors: Host Houston on Sunday night. Cavaliers 118, Warriors 111 CLEVELAND (118): Mobley 6-11 0-2 12, Strus 9-14 0-0 24, Allen 5-10 6-12 16, Harden 7-11 2-2 19, Mitchell 7-14 7-7 25, Bryant 1-2 0-0 3, Ellis 2-7 0-0 4, Merrill 1-6 0-0 3, Schroder 4-7 3-3 12. Totals 42-82 18-26 118. GOLDEN STATE (111): Green 3-11 0-0 8, Santos 9-14 5-6 25, Porzingis 6-13 4-4 16, Melton 2-12 0-0 5, Podziemski 9-15 5-6 25, Cryer 3-9 3-4 12, Payton II 4-9 0-0 8, Richard 0-3 0-0 0, Spencer 5-8 0-0 12. Totals 41-94 17-20 111. Cleveland&emsp;30&emsp;24&emsp;30&emsp;34&emsp;—&emsp;118Golden State&emsp;26&emsp;21&emsp;33&emsp;31&emsp;—&emsp;111 3-Point Goals—Cleveland 16-36 (Strus 6-10, Mitchell 4-7, Harden 3-6, Bryant 1-1, Schroder 1-2, Merrill 1-6, Ellis 0-2, Mobley 0-2), Golden State 12-44 (Cryer 3-7, Spencer 2-4, Podziemski 2-5, Santos 2-6, Green 2-8, Melton 1-5, Payton II 0-2, Richard 0-2, Porzingis 0-5). Fouled Out—None. Rebounds—Cleveland 46 (Allen 13), Golden State 46 (Payton II 12). Assists—Cleveland 28 (Schroder 6), Golden State 25 (Green 9). Total Fouls—Cleveland 14, Golden State 20. A—18,064 (18,064)