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After a two-game road trip the Cavs return home for their second and last game of the year against the Dallas Mavericks. This will be the first game of a back-to-back as the Cavs go to Chicago tomorrow.
Outside of the league-destroying Boston Celtics (eight games up in the standings), there is no hotter team in the NBA than the Dallas Mavericks. And there may be no player performing better than Luka Dončić…
Is this Luka's best season as a pro?
Tim Cato: Yes. The 3-point shooting — more makes than anyone in the NBA behind Stephen Curry — is real and buoyed by his new willingness to take catch-and-shoot shots, and Dončić’s defensive buy-in is better than we’ve ever seen. Add in his magical shot-making and passing, and he has turned into a legitimate MVP candidate, not just the in-the-conversation candidate he's been.
Furthermore: Is this — with the trade deadline deals — his best Mavericks team yet?
Tim: Very possibly! It might take the postseason to provide us a real answer, given that the Mavericks did make the conference finals two seasons ago, but this year’s team stands apart in its depth and versatility. Dallas has big centers, flexible wings and capable playmakers who complement the two superstars leading them. It’s a dangerous team with room to be even better. - The Athletic
The Mavericks are tied for 7th in the West, 33-24 overall and 15-11 on the road. They won seven straight before losing Sunday to Indiana by a 133-111 score. The Pacers shot 56% overall and 39% on 3’s. Center Myles Turner had a huge game with 33 points. He averages 17.4.
The Mavericks recently traded for C Daniel Gafford, who had 14 points, 13 rebounds, and 4 blocks the last time he played against Cleveland. They are 4-1 since acquiring Gafford.
The Cavs beat the Mavs 113-110 in Dallas on Dec. 27. The Cavs were without Garland, Mobley, and Mitchell, but Jarrett Allen had a monster game with 24 points and 23 rebounds. LeVert and Okoro had 29 and 22 points, respectively. Luka Doncic had a line of 39/7/6 but it wasn’t enough as Kyrie Irving was out.
This time around the personnel will be much different. The Cavs get Garland, Mobley, and Mitchell back. The Mavs get Kyrie back and now have Gafford. However, they traded Seth Curry, who scored 19 points in that game, and Dante Exum, who scored 13, is listed as doubtful. Curry was 5-for-9 on 3’s; the rest of the Mavs were 5-for-28, so I’m glad Curry is outta there.
The fact that Allen had 24 points against Dallas and Myles Turner just scored 33 makes me think the Mavs are vulnerable to bigs in the paint. Their starting center, Dereck Lively II, is 7’1” but he’s a rookie and is slightly built. He was the 12th overall pick and averages 25 minutes. Their other four starters are 6’7”, 6’6”, 6’5”, and 6’2”. Gafford, 6’10”, is the backup center. Maxi Kleber and Dwight Powell, both 6’10”, average a combined 9.6 points and we’ll probably see one or both of them on Mobley.
The Mavericks are very good offensively, as you would expect from a team that has Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving. They rank 12th in points per game on the road. They are a heavy 3-point shooting team, ranking 2nd in 3-point rate (just under 45% of their field goal attempts are from deep) and 10th in 3-point percentage. They rank 28th in points in the paint, so this is a team that lives and dies by the 3-point shot.
Over 43% of Doncic’s shots are 3’s and its’ 36% for Kyrie.
In the Cavs’ win in December they held the Mavs to 27% on 3’s and that was key in holding them to 10 points under their home scoring average. The key to this game will be how well the Cavs defend 3’s because the Mavericks are 3rd worst at scoring in the paint and against Allen and Mobley it will be even more challenging.
The Mavericks rank 23rd in assists per play, so it appears they try to get the defense to switch and then go one-on-one when they get the matchup they want. They are also 23rd in offensive rebound percentage so they don’t crash the glass too much. With four starters between 6’2” and 6’7” you wouldn’t expect them to be a great offensive rebounding team, and they’re not. If the Cavs can contest their shots and force misses they will be in good shape.
Defensively the Mavs rank 20th in opponents’ points per game and 22nd in points in the paint allowed. They are average defending the 3-point shot, but rank 23rd in defending 2’s. For that reason I think the Cavs should go inside all night. Dallas ranks 25th in block percentage - they lack height and are not great rim protectors. Allen had 24 points last game so I would go to Allen and Mobley all night long and try to get Lively and Gafford in foul trouble, or at least get the ball in the low post against Doncic or one of their 6’5” or 6’6” guys.
Doncic is their MVP candidate with a line of 34/10/9. With Kyrie out he burned the Cavs for 39 points last game. He was 14-for-29 while the rest of his mates hit just 42%. I think the key to beating Dallas is to let Doncic get his 40 or whatever while shutting down the rest of the team. I wouldn't double team Doncic and leave an open 3-point shooter against a team that depends on 3's.
Kyrie, now 31, is playing exceptionally well in his 13th season, averaging 25.7 points on 49% overall and 42% on 3’s. If he keeps this up it will be the highest 3-point percentage of his career.
SF Tim Hardaway Jr averages 17.1 ppg but is not efficient, shooting 41% overall and 36% on 3’s. SF Derrick Jones Jr averages 9 points. Centers Derek Lively and Daniel Gafford split the center minutes and combine to average 19.3 points and 16.8 rebounds.
This should be an interesting game with Kyrie returning to Cleveland, although it’s been seven years since he’s worn a Cavs’ jersey and two years since he's played here. The Mavericks are hot right now, having won 7 of 8. They are tied with the Kings and 0.5 games behind the Suns and Pelicans. Those four teams are battling for the 5th and 6th seeds with the two losers having to play in, so every game is huge for them.
The Cavaliers are trying to get back on track after having lost 3 of 4 before a close win over the hapless Wizards on Sunday. Hopefully Donovan Mitchell will be fully recovered from his illness and the Cavs will be close to full strength. I’m sure JBB will dissect the film of the Mavs’ beatdown at the hands of the Pacers two days ago to see what the Pacers did that resulted in 133 points against the Mavericks’ below average defense.
I forgot to mention that Dallas ranks 26th in defensive rebounding percentage so the Cavs should be able to get lots of second chance points. Jarrett Allen abused the Mavs for 9 offensive rebounds in the win in Dallas and the Cavs had 18 as a team, and that was without Mobley. Craig Porter Jr, who started at point guard, had 4 offensive rebounds and 12 overall, but with Garland and Mitchell back he probably won’t see any action.
The Mavs are below average on the offensive glass and even worse on the defensive glass, so the Cavs should he able to dominate the boards. On defense they need to contest the 3's and force the Mavs to take it to the rim where they aren't as effective. There will be some interesting individual matchups with Garland vs. Irving and Mobley or Wade or Okoro vs. Luka. I expect JBB will keep rotating those three on Doncic to keep fresh bodies on him and try to wear him down.
Two days ago Donovan Mitchell was still under the weather and was used mostly as a decoy, taking just 10 shots. Hopefully he's feeling better and can get back to his normal game tonight.
Outside of the league-destroying Boston Celtics (eight games up in the standings), there is no hotter team in the NBA than the Dallas Mavericks. And there may be no player performing better than Luka Dončić…
Is this Luka's best season as a pro?
Tim Cato: Yes. The 3-point shooting — more makes than anyone in the NBA behind Stephen Curry — is real and buoyed by his new willingness to take catch-and-shoot shots, and Dončić’s defensive buy-in is better than we’ve ever seen. Add in his magical shot-making and passing, and he has turned into a legitimate MVP candidate, not just the in-the-conversation candidate he's been.
Furthermore: Is this — with the trade deadline deals — his best Mavericks team yet?
Tim: Very possibly! It might take the postseason to provide us a real answer, given that the Mavericks did make the conference finals two seasons ago, but this year’s team stands apart in its depth and versatility. Dallas has big centers, flexible wings and capable playmakers who complement the two superstars leading them. It’s a dangerous team with room to be even better. - The Athletic
The Mavericks are tied for 7th in the West, 33-24 overall and 15-11 on the road. They won seven straight before losing Sunday to Indiana by a 133-111 score. The Pacers shot 56% overall and 39% on 3’s. Center Myles Turner had a huge game with 33 points. He averages 17.4.
The Mavericks recently traded for C Daniel Gafford, who had 14 points, 13 rebounds, and 4 blocks the last time he played against Cleveland. They are 4-1 since acquiring Gafford.
The Cavs beat the Mavs 113-110 in Dallas on Dec. 27. The Cavs were without Garland, Mobley, and Mitchell, but Jarrett Allen had a monster game with 24 points and 23 rebounds. LeVert and Okoro had 29 and 22 points, respectively. Luka Doncic had a line of 39/7/6 but it wasn’t enough as Kyrie Irving was out.
This time around the personnel will be much different. The Cavs get Garland, Mobley, and Mitchell back. The Mavs get Kyrie back and now have Gafford. However, they traded Seth Curry, who scored 19 points in that game, and Dante Exum, who scored 13, is listed as doubtful. Curry was 5-for-9 on 3’s; the rest of the Mavs were 5-for-28, so I’m glad Curry is outta there.
The fact that Allen had 24 points against Dallas and Myles Turner just scored 33 makes me think the Mavs are vulnerable to bigs in the paint. Their starting center, Dereck Lively II, is 7’1” but he’s a rookie and is slightly built. He was the 12th overall pick and averages 25 minutes. Their other four starters are 6’7”, 6’6”, 6’5”, and 6’2”. Gafford, 6’10”, is the backup center. Maxi Kleber and Dwight Powell, both 6’10”, average a combined 9.6 points and we’ll probably see one or both of them on Mobley.
The Mavericks are very good offensively, as you would expect from a team that has Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving. They rank 12th in points per game on the road. They are a heavy 3-point shooting team, ranking 2nd in 3-point rate (just under 45% of their field goal attempts are from deep) and 10th in 3-point percentage. They rank 28th in points in the paint, so this is a team that lives and dies by the 3-point shot.
Over 43% of Doncic’s shots are 3’s and its’ 36% for Kyrie.
In the Cavs’ win in December they held the Mavs to 27% on 3’s and that was key in holding them to 10 points under their home scoring average. The key to this game will be how well the Cavs defend 3’s because the Mavericks are 3rd worst at scoring in the paint and against Allen and Mobley it will be even more challenging.
The Mavericks rank 23rd in assists per play, so it appears they try to get the defense to switch and then go one-on-one when they get the matchup they want. They are also 23rd in offensive rebound percentage so they don’t crash the glass too much. With four starters between 6’2” and 6’7” you wouldn’t expect them to be a great offensive rebounding team, and they’re not. If the Cavs can contest their shots and force misses they will be in good shape.
Defensively the Mavs rank 20th in opponents’ points per game and 22nd in points in the paint allowed. They are average defending the 3-point shot, but rank 23rd in defending 2’s. For that reason I think the Cavs should go inside all night. Dallas ranks 25th in block percentage - they lack height and are not great rim protectors. Allen had 24 points last game so I would go to Allen and Mobley all night long and try to get Lively and Gafford in foul trouble, or at least get the ball in the low post against Doncic or one of their 6’5” or 6’6” guys.
Doncic is their MVP candidate with a line of 34/10/9. With Kyrie out he burned the Cavs for 39 points last game. He was 14-for-29 while the rest of his mates hit just 42%. I think the key to beating Dallas is to let Doncic get his 40 or whatever while shutting down the rest of the team. I wouldn't double team Doncic and leave an open 3-point shooter against a team that depends on 3's.
Kyrie, now 31, is playing exceptionally well in his 13th season, averaging 25.7 points on 49% overall and 42% on 3’s. If he keeps this up it will be the highest 3-point percentage of his career.
SF Tim Hardaway Jr averages 17.1 ppg but is not efficient, shooting 41% overall and 36% on 3’s. SF Derrick Jones Jr averages 9 points. Centers Derek Lively and Daniel Gafford split the center minutes and combine to average 19.3 points and 16.8 rebounds.
This should be an interesting game with Kyrie returning to Cleveland, although it’s been seven years since he’s worn a Cavs’ jersey and two years since he's played here. The Mavericks are hot right now, having won 7 of 8. They are tied with the Kings and 0.5 games behind the Suns and Pelicans. Those four teams are battling for the 5th and 6th seeds with the two losers having to play in, so every game is huge for them.
The Cavaliers are trying to get back on track after having lost 3 of 4 before a close win over the hapless Wizards on Sunday. Hopefully Donovan Mitchell will be fully recovered from his illness and the Cavs will be close to full strength. I’m sure JBB will dissect the film of the Mavs’ beatdown at the hands of the Pacers two days ago to see what the Pacers did that resulted in 133 points against the Mavericks’ below average defense.
I forgot to mention that Dallas ranks 26th in defensive rebounding percentage so the Cavs should be able to get lots of second chance points. Jarrett Allen abused the Mavs for 9 offensive rebounds in the win in Dallas and the Cavs had 18 as a team, and that was without Mobley. Craig Porter Jr, who started at point guard, had 4 offensive rebounds and 12 overall, but with Garland and Mitchell back he probably won’t see any action.
The Mavs are below average on the offensive glass and even worse on the defensive glass, so the Cavs should he able to dominate the boards. On defense they need to contest the 3's and force the Mavs to take it to the rim where they aren't as effective. There will be some interesting individual matchups with Garland vs. Irving and Mobley or Wade or Okoro vs. Luka. I expect JBB will keep rotating those three on Doncic to keep fresh bodies on him and try to wear him down.
Two days ago Donovan Mitchell was still under the weather and was used mostly as a decoy, taking just 10 shots. Hopefully he's feeling better and can get back to his normal game tonight.
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