CLEVELAND – Games come and go, but what happened at American Airlines Center on Dec. 27 is something the Dallas
Mavericks won’t soon forget.
That’s the day the Cleveland Cavaliers overcame a 20-point deficit and stunned the Mavs, 113-110. For the Cavs, the victory came when they were without three of their starters — Donovan Mitchell (illness), Darius Garland (broken jaw) and Evan Mobley (knee surgery).
“You definitely remember that,” Mavs center Dereck Lively II said after Monday’s practice at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. “You definitely remember those moments. You remember the game at home.
“It’s not like, ‘Ooohhh, they did this, this and this, so we need to do this, this and this.’ “
Even with guard Kyrie Irving sidelined with a right heel injury, the Mavs led the Cavs 50-30 with 9:45 remaining before halftime, and 69-54 at the game’s midway point.
But the Cavs caught fire and outscored the Mavs, 59-41, in second half, including 31-20 in fourth quarter when Dallas went five minutes without scoring.
“It’s basketball,” Lively said. “They came back from a 20-0 game. We’ve come back from a 30-0 game. It’s just a game of runs.”
The Mavs hope to keep the Cavs’ runs at a minimum when the two teams collide on Tuesday at 6 p.m. at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse.
“We’ve got to be able to make sure that we’re locked in the whole game,” Lively said, “and not let them get comfortable and get to a flow.”
*This is the second of a four-game, two-country, week-long road trip for the Mavs. The trip started with Sunday’s 133-111 loss at Indiana, and will continue with a Wednesday game in Toronto and a Friday visit to Boston before the Mavs return home to host Philadelphia on March 3. The Mavs had their season-high seven-game winning streak snapped against Indiana.
*Just like the Mavs, this is the opener of a back-to-back for the Cavs, who will play in Chicago on Wednesday.
*Mavs guard Dante Exum (right knee bursitis) is doubtful to play Tuesday, and guard Josh Green (right elbow) is probable.
*Luka Dončić leads the NBA in scoring (34.3), is second in three-pointers made per game (3.9), third in assists (9.5), seventh in steals (1.5) and 18th in rebounds (8.8).
*Cavs guard Donovan Mitchell is fourth in the league in scoring (28.1), tied for second in steals (1.9), and also averages 5.4 rpg and 6.2 apg. Mitchell missed the Cavs’ losses to Orlando (116-109) last Thursday and to Philadelphia (104-97) last Friday with an illness. But he returned Sunday and produced 16 points and five assists during a 114-105 victory at Washington.
*Mavs guard Kyrie Irving averages 25.7 ppg, 5.2 rpg, 5.3 apg and 1.3 spg, and has converted 49.3 percent of his field goals and 42.1 percent of his three-pointers. Tim Hardaway Jr. is averaging 17.1 ppg and shooting 36.2 percent of his three-pointers. In his five games with the Mavs, Daniel Gafford averages 11.4 ppg, 9.2 rpg and 1.8 bpg
*Darius Garland (18.2 ppg, 6.2 apg), Jarrett Allen (15.9 ppg, 10.6 rpg), Evan Mobley (10 rpg, 1.6 bpg), Caris LeVert (14.1 ppg) and Max Strus (12.1 ppg) are the other members of the Cavs besides Donovan Mitchell who have been major contributors for Cleveland.
*This is a homecoming game of sorts for Kyrie Irving. When he played for Cleveland, Irving hit arguably the most clutch basket in the history of the franchise. In Game 7 of the best-of-seven 2016 NBA Finals against the Golden State Warriors, Irving drilled a series-clinching three-pointer with 53 seconds left and with the game tied and with Stephen Curry draped all over him. The Cavs won that crucial road game, 93-89.
When: 6 p.m., Tuesday
Where: Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse, Cleveland
TV: BSSW
Radio: 97.1 FM The Freak; 99.1 FM Zona MX (Spanish)
X: @DwainPrice
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