CLEVELAND (AP) — Rookie Kon Knueppel scored 29 points, Brandon Miller added 25 and the Charlotte Hornets shut out Cleveland in overtime on their way to a rare road victory, 119-111 over the Cavaliers on Sunday.
Knueppel, the No. 4 overall selection this year in the NBA draft, had his second straight strong performance after scoring a season-high 33 in a loss to Chicago on Friday night. Miller added a career-high 13 rebounds and six assists.
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Charlotte Hornets' Brandon Miller (24) prepares to dunk against the Cleveland Cavaliers during the first half of an NBA basketball game, in Cleveland, Sunday, Dec. 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Phil Long)
Charlotte Hornets' Miles Bridges (0) shoots as Cleveland Cavaliers' Lonzo Ball, left, defends during the first half of an NBA basketball game in Cleveland, Sunday, Dec. 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Phil Long)
Charlotte Hornets' Ryan Kalkbrenner (11) cannot control the ball as Cleveland Cavaliers' De'Andre Hunter, front, and Jarrett Allen (31) defend during the first half of an NBA basketball game in Cleveland, Sunday, Dec. 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Phil Long)
Charlotte Hornets' Miles Bridges (0) shoots as Cleveland Cavaliers' De'Andre Hunter, right, defends during the first half of an NBA basketball game in Cleveland, Sunday, Dec. 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Phil Long)
Charlotte Hornets' Ryan Kalkbrenner, center, grabs a rebound in front of Cleveland Cavaliers' Jarrett Allen, right, as Hornets' Kon Knueppel, left, watches during the first half of an NBA basketball game in Cleveland, Sunday, Dec. 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Phil Long)
Miles Bridges had 20 points, 10 rebounds and six assists as Charlotte improved to just 3-10 away from home.
The Cavaliers missed all 10 shots in the five-minute overtime and Cleveland suffered another troubling loss for a team expected to contend for the Eastern Conference title.
Darius Garland scored 26 points and Donovan Mitchell added 17 for the Cavs, who have been plagued by inconsistency in the season's first two months.
Jaylon Tyson had 16 points and 13 rebounds for Cleveland, which has lost six of nine.
The Cavs were down 17 in the third but rallied to tie it in the final seconds of regulation. Mitchell had a chance to win it in the last second, but the All-Star guard, coming off a 48-point game at Washington on Friday, missed a 12-foot jumper.
Following his misfire, Mitchell dejectedly covered his face while resting it on the scorer's table.
Injuries have played a role in the Cavaliers' problems. They were without another key piece as forward Evan Mobley sat out with a strained left calf that could keep the league's reigning Defensive Player of the Year out for a month.
While Cleveland's play of late has worrisome, coach Kenny Atkinson remains optimistic, saying before the game “the sky isn't falling. We're going to be all right.”
The Hornets were missing guards LaMelo Ball, Collin Sexton and Tre Mann due to injuries.
Hornets: Host Atlanta on Thursday night.
Cavaliers: At Chicago on Wednesday night.
AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba
Charlotte Hornets' Brandon Miller (24) prepares to dunk against the Cleveland Cavaliers during the first half of an NBA basketball game, in Cleveland, Sunday, Dec. 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Phil Long)
Charlotte Hornets' Miles Bridges (0) shoots as Cleveland Cavaliers' Lonzo Ball, left, defends during the first half of an NBA basketball game in Cleveland, Sunday, Dec. 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Phil Long)
Charlotte Hornets' Ryan Kalkbrenner (11) cannot control the ball as Cleveland Cavaliers' De'Andre Hunter, front, and Jarrett Allen (31) defend during the first half of an NBA basketball game in Cleveland, Sunday, Dec. 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Phil Long)
Charlotte Hornets' Miles Bridges (0) shoots as Cleveland Cavaliers' De'Andre Hunter, right, defends during the first half of an NBA basketball game in Cleveland, Sunday, Dec. 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Phil Long)
Charlotte Hornets' Ryan Kalkbrenner, center, grabs a rebound in front of Cleveland Cavaliers' Jarrett Allen, right, as Hornets' Kon Knueppel, left, watches during the first half of an NBA basketball game in Cleveland, Sunday, Dec. 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Phil Long)
CHICAGO (AP) — Caleb Williams rolled toward the right sideline and unleashed a pass he probably had no business attempting. DJ Moore went up in a crowd in the back of the end zone and came down with a touchdown.
That's the type of day it was for the Bears.
Williams threw two touchdown passes and Chicago beat Cleveland 31-3 on Sunday in one of the coldest games ever at Soldier Field even though the Browns’ Myles Garrett moved within a sack of the NFL’s single-season record.
The Bears (10-4) heated up early on a day when the temperature at kickoff was 8 degrees and they hit double digits in wins for the first time since the 2018 NFC North championship team went 12-4. They scored two first-quarter touchdowns and broke the game open with two more in the third.
It was just the sort of performance they needed coming off a loss at Green Bay that knocked them from first to seventh in the NFC, with a rematch against their rivals at home next week looming.
“You want to start the game off every week like that," Williams said. "But definitely this week not allowing them to get going, not allowing them to feel some energy or feel they can beat us — that was our mindset going into this game.”
Garrett had 1 1/2 sacks, giving him 21 1/2 on the season and leaving him one shy of the record shared by New York Giants Hall of Famer Michael Strahan (2001) and Pittsburgh’s T.J. Watt (2021). He got to Williams in the second quarter on a third down at the Cleveland 8, and he and Shelby Harris took down the quarterback early in the fourth. A four-time All-Pro, Garrett has at least one sack in eight straight games and has 17 1/2 in that span.
Williams shook off a string of shaky outings, finishing 17 of 28 for 242 yards. He completed fewer than 60% of his passes in each of the previous six games.
D’Andre Swift ran for 98 yards and two touchdowns. Moore added 69 yards receiving and two scoring catches with Rome Odunze missing his second straight game because of a foot injury. His second TD — a 22-yarder in the third — was one for the highlight reel.
“I'd say 99% of the quarterbacks, you tell them, ‘Don’t even waste your time looking back there and trying to make that throw,'” coach Ben Johnson said. “There's usually bad things that happen. And yet, he's got the ability to make that throw. DJ made a heck of a play there right on the back line, as well.”
Rookie Luther Burden caught six passes for 84 yards, including a 40-yarder.
The Bears held Cleveland to 192 yards and turned three interceptions against Shedeur Sanders into 17 points. With three takeaways, they extended their league lead to 30.
D’Marco Jackson had an interception deep in Cleveland territory in the third. Jaylon Johnson picked off a pass at the goal line with his back to the quarterback later in the quarter, and both plays led to touchdowns. Another one by C.J. Gardner-Johnson in the fourth set up a field goal, helping the Bears bounce back after having a five-game win streak snapped last week. They also won their fifth straight home game since a season-opening loss to Minnesota.
“They had a great defensive scheme,” Sanders said. “I enjoyed playing against them. I enjoyed playing in that. It was definitely a little challenge, so I look forward to learning from that.”
'The Browns (3-11) have dropped three straight and six of seven.
Sanders was 18 of 35 for 177 yards and three interceptions. He was sacked five times in his fourth start. The Browns announced the highly publicized fifth-round pick and son of Pro Football Hall of Famer Deion Sanders will be their starter for the rest of the season after passing for 364 yards and three touchdowns while also having a rushing score against Tennessee last week.
“He’s a young player that is making progress, like we’ve talked about all week,” coach Kevin Stefanski said. "I see it in games. I get to see it in practice. There’s going to be ups and downs to young players, particularly the quarterback position. So we’ll learn from it, and we’ll be better next week.”
Browns: Garrett tweaked his hip during the game. ... G Teven Jenkins exited with a shoulder injury.
Bears: Odunze aggravated his foot injury in warmups. Johnson had no details on exactly how it happened and whether he'll play again this season. “I really don't know ... the extent of it,” he said. “When something like that happens right before a game and you're solely focused on getting the next guy ready to perform at a high level.” ... Williams limped toward the locker room after he was hit in the shin on a pass on the final play of the first half.
Browns: Host Buffalo next Sunday.
AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl
Chicago Bears defensive end Austin Booker (94) sacks Cleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders (12) in the first half of an NFL football game in Chicago, Sunday, Dec. 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)
Chicago Bears running back D'Andre Swift (4) carries for a touchdown in the first half of an NFL football game against the Cleveland Browns in Chicago, Sunday, Dec. 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Erin Hooley)
Chicago Bears place kicker Cairo Santos (8) kicks his field goal attempt past Cleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett, but misses the field goal in the first half of an NFL football game in Chicago, Sunday, Dec. 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)
Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams walks off the field at halftime of an NFL football game against the Cleveland Browns in Chicago, Sunday, Dec. 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)
