The Cleveland Cavaliers have etched their names in NBA history by becoming only the fourth team to achieve a flawless 15-0 start to the season, following their triumph over the Charlotte Hornets with a score of 128-114 on Sunday evening. The game saw the Cavaliers take control early, leading from the second minute onwards after an initial 5-4 deficit. Despite a late push by Charlotte that brought the score within three points by the end of the third quarter, Cleveland reasserted their dominance in the final period, securing their 15th consecutive victory and setting a new franchise record. This accomplishment places them in a tie for the second-best start in NBA history, just behind the 2015-16 Golden State Warriors, who began their season with a 24-0 streak and ultimately broke the league's regular-season win record with a 73-9 finish. The other teams to have started a season with 15 straight wins are the 1993-94 Houston Rockets and the 1948-49 Washington Capitols, as reported by ESPN.

"The energy in Cleveland is palpable," Cavaliers center Jarrett Allen expressed post-game. "The city has fully embraced us. Fans attend every game, cheering us on. The support from Cleveland is unwavering." In the absence of star player Donovan Mitchell, who was given a rest for the game, the Cavaliers demonstrated a balanced scoring attack. Darius Garland contributed 25 points and 12 assists, Ty Jerome added 24 points and 8 assists, Evan Mobley recorded 23 points and 11 rebounds, and Allen himself scored 21 points with 15 rebounds.

Upcoming for the Cavaliers is a rematch against the Boston Celtics, who eliminated Cleveland in the Eastern Conference semifinals last season on their way to the championship. "Facing the defending champions, the team that stopped us last year, is a challenge we relish," Allen told the press. "We always aim to measure ourselves against the league's best and see where we stand among the elite." Allen referred to the upcoming game as a "rematch," noting, "We both had different lineups last time, so I'm eager to help our team advance and gauge our progress against them."

For the Hornets, LaMelo Ball delivered a game-high 31 points and 12 assists, but later faced a $100,000 fine from the NBA for using language in his post-match interview that the league deemed "offensive and derogatory."

In other NBA news, Los Angeles Clippers guard James Harden ascended to the No. 2 spot on the league's all-time three-pointers made list, surpassing Ray Allen, in the team's 116-105 win over the Utah Jazz. Harden, who was tied with Allen before Sunday's game, secured his place after sinking a three-pointer with 6:09 remaining in the first quarter, marking his 2,974th career three-pointer. He now trails only Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry, who has made 3,782 three-pointers in his career. "It's an extraordinary achievement, a testament to the dedication and hard work I've invested," Harden reflected after the game. "As I progress through my career, these milestones become more meaningful, and I never want to take them for granted."

The 35-year-old tied with Allen on Friday during a Clippers match against the Houston Rockets, Harden's former team where he played for nine seasons. During his tenure with the Rockets, Harden scored 2,029 three-pointers and became only the third player in NBA history to make 300 three-pointers in a single season during the 2018-19 campaign. As a Rocket, Harden was an eight-time All-Star and was crowned league MVP for the 2017-18 season.

"James has always been an explosive scorer," Clippers coach Tyronn Lue commented. "Once he joined Houston and found his style under coach D'Antoni, he really took off. Three-point shooting is a significant part of his arsenal."

Since his time with the Rockets, Harden has played for the Brooklyn Nets, Philadelphia 76ers, and now the Clippers.

In a thrilling finish, Julius Randle's buzzer-beating three-pointer capped a late comeback for the Minnesota Timberwolves, securing a 120-117 victory over the Phoenix Suns. The Suns held a 97-86 lead with 11:12 left in the fourth quarter, but Minnesota fought back after a timeout. The Timberwolves took their first lead with 1:09 remaining when Anthony Edwards' bank shot made the score 115-114. The game was tied at 117 when Randle's moment arrived. He received the inbound pass, evaded Josh Okogie's defense, and nailed a side-step three-pointer, sending the home crowd into a frenzy. Randle's performance was his best in a Timberwolves uniform since the significant offseason trade that saw Karl-Anthony Towns move to the Knicks. His 35 points were a game-high and a personal season-high, accompanied by four rebounds and seven assists. Edwards contributed 24 points, four rebounds, and six assists. Devin Booker scored a season-high 44 points for the Suns, who were missing injured Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal.

The day's results included the following games with winners in bold:

• Charlotte Hornets 114-128 Cleveland Cavaliers
• Utah Jazz 105-116 Los Angeles Clippers
• Phoenix Suns 117-120 Minnesota Timberwolves
• Miami Heat 110-119 Indiana Pacers
• Detroit Pistons 124-104 Washington Wizards
• Denver Nuggets 90-105 Memphis Grizzlies
• Atlanta Hawks 110-114 Portland Trail Blazers
• Brooklyn Nets 104-114 New York Knicks
• Houston Rockets 143-107 Chicago Bulls
• Dallas Mavericks 121-119 Oklahoma City Thunder