The Cleveland Cavaliers are off to a historic 9-0 start with a victory over the New Orleans Pelicans

CNN
—

The Cleveland Cavaliers posted the best start to a season in franchise history with a 131-122 victory over the New Orleans Pelicans on Wednesday night.

Donovan Mitchell scored 29 points while Jarrett Allen added 16 points and 14 rebounds at the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans, helping Kenny Atkinson's team do something no other Cavaliers team has done since Cleveland joined the NBA in the 1970-71 season is.

Wednesday's win means the Cavs have surpassed the franchise's 8-0 start in 1976-77. Cleveland finished 43-39 that season before losing to the Washington Bullets in the first round of the playoffs.

According to the Cavs, this also means Atkinson is the first NBA head coach ever to win the first nine games with a new team.

The 57-year-old finished just one of his four seasons as Brooklyn Nets coach with a winning record before spending the last four years as an assistant coach, first with the Los Angeles Clippers and then with the Golden State Warriors.

“You have to,” Atkinson said, according to NBA.com, when asked if his team was enjoying the moment. “This season is so long. It's so hard to win in this league. So when you experience moments like this, you have to celebrate a little.”

Mitchell, an NBA All-Star in each of the last five seasons, was as positive as his coach. “It's just the habits that really get me excited about what we do,” he said, according to NBA.com. “My biggest thing is just being consistent. Let’s always be that team.”

Team was the operative word for the Cavaliers on Wednesday, as their reserves contributed 50 points and only one of their five starters didn't score 14 or more.

“Everyone does their part,” Atkinson said. “That’s what good teams do. We are physically in good shape. We're in good shape mentally.

“When you win nine in a row, it’s not one or two players; It’s the entire squad.”

The Pelicans had a spirited performance: Zion Williamson scored 29 points in his return from injury and Jose Alvarado scored 27, including all seven of his three-point attempts.

New Orleans was able to completely tie Cleveland in the first half, which ended 59-59, but a 16-4 run by the Cavaliers early in the third quarter gave the visiting team the lead.

The Pelicans fought back with seven goals before two three-pointers from Darius Garland and one from Sam Merrill helped the Cavs to a 99-88 lead at the end of the third quarter.

New Orleans struck back again, cutting Cleveland's lead to 112-106 midway through the fourth quarter, but back-to-back baskets from Mitchell and Allen ensured the Pelicans would never get closer than six the rest of the game.

The Cavaliers hope to extend their run to double digits on Friday against the Warriors, who hold the NBA record for best start to a season ever and have won each of their first 24 games of the 2015-16 season.