Undefeated Cavs are the perfect palate cleanser for depressing Browns season -- Jimmy Watkins

CLEVELAND, Ohio — Liquor tastes harsh, so Jack Daniels needs Coke. Vodka needs tonic water, Tequila shots need lime wedges, and Cleveland sports fans needed a glass of good basketball on Sunday to chase the stomach-wrenching taste left by the Browns hours earlier.

Lucky for Clevelanders, these Cavs meet every moment. Even without star guard Donovan Mitchell, sharpshooter Sam Merrill, and defensive stalwarts Isaac Okoro and Dean Wade (both of whom left with injuries midgame), Cleveland beat the Charlotte Hornets 128-114 at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse Sunday evening, marking 15 straight wins to start this season and drawing one step closer to the NBA record (24-0).

Point guard Darius Garland closed the game by scoring or assisting on 14 straight points, including a pull-up 3-pointer with 1:41 to play. And seven seconds later, Cavs coach Kenny Atkinson subbed out Garland, Ty Jerome, Caris LeVert, Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley so a sellout crowd (19,432) could stand and voice its appreciation.

Turns out, some fall Cleveland Sundays are better spent at the gym.

"It was awesome, man," Jerome said of the Cavs' standing ovation. "I didn't know if the crowd was going to be that great tonight, and it was great again. So we thank you."

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No, we thank Ty Jerome. Thanks for your 24 points (career high) and eight assists (career high) while starting in Mitchell's place against Charlotte. Thanks for stabilizing Cleveland's second unit this season, which ranked seventh in bench scoring entering Sunday's game. And thank you for delivering victory to a depressed sports city that cursed another dour loss earlier in the day.

Do we have to talk about it? Fine.

The Browns lost 35-14 Sunday to a 3-7 Saints team missing its top two wide receivers. Cleveland spent seven days planning to slow down Saints tight end — slash quarterback, slash running back, slash kick returner — Taysom Hill, then it spent three hours failing to tackle him. Hill tallied 206 scrimmage yards and three touchdowns against Jim Schwartz's defense (allegedly the strength of Cleveland's roster). The Browns countered with 22 first downs and 443 total yards rendered moot by three fruitless drives into Saints territory (two missed field goals, one fourth-quarter drive that fizzled). They're 2-8 after building the most expensive roster in NFL history.

Meanwhile, the Cavs write a new historic chapter every night. No iteration of this franchise has started 15-0 (or even won 15 straight games). Only three other NBA teams have ever started so hot, all of which made the NBA Finals. But let's not ruin a good time with expectations.

Instead, ride the ripples created by Atkinson's fun, fast-paced offense, which produced four 20-point scorers Sunday for the second straight game. Check out stronger, more aggressive Mobley, who scored 24 points and — woah — made two 3-pointers to go with 11 rebounds and one devastating block against Hornets forward Brandon Miller. Watch Garland (25 points, 12 assists and five rebounds), channel his All-Star self again, or Allen (21 points, 15 rebounds) treat the Hornets' frontcourt like children, or Jerome spin this impossible finish off the glass, then try to frown about football.

Can't do it, can you? And I've barely mentioned the words "Donovan Mitchell" yet. The Cavs rested him Sunday because they have bigger, banner-hanging plans than their franchise-record winning streak. In fact, Mitchell is playing a career-low 31.1 minutes per game, but Cleveland still can't lose unless it plays make believe.

"After the Chicago game (Friday) I didn't think our defense was very good, so we had a film session, and we kind of pretended it was a loss," Atkinson said before Sunday's game. "I don't think the guys felt great about how they played on the defensive end. I think we turned the game into an up and down game and didn't put enough emphasis on the defensive side, so we let 'em know."

The coach laughed as he explained himself, because no team is having more fun than his Cavs. Even when serious business knocks, like it will Tuesday against the defending-champion Celtics (11-3), Cleveland confronts it with gusto.

Two good teams with playoff baggage to sort in an intense environment (Boston's T.D. Garden)? "What's better than that?" Atkinson said.

Most Novembers: Thursday Night Football. The 8-2 Steelers come to town this week, and Cleveland can't wait to hate. Russell Wilson is annoying; T.J. Watt is overrated; and Mike Tomlin, who has never posted a losing season as head coach, is a loser. The Browns will prove it, just watch.

But this November, some gamedays are better spent at the gym. One Cleveland franchise can't lose while the other can't tackle the hybrid tight end. And I would never expect this football town to abandon its Browns (or the accompanying tailgate opportunities), but I will recommend that, while ripping shots of Jack Daniels or Jameis Winston this week, you mix in some Jarrett Allen.

"It's incredible," Allen said of the atmosphere against Charlotte. "Especially on a Sunday too. "Everybody came out. Everybody's showing tons of energy all over the city of Cleveland. It's incredible just how the city of Cleveland has adopted us and how they're coming to every game yelling for everything... That's what this stuff is all about. The city of Cleveland has our backs like that."