Evan Mobley scored 23 of his season-high-tying 29 points in the first half and Donovan Mitchell posted 24 points and eight assists, lifting the Cleveland Cavaliers to a 138-105 win over the host Dallas Mavericks in the first game of a home-and-home set Friday.
James Harden had 17 points, seven rebounds and seven assists as the Cavaliers remained firmly in fourth place in the Eastern Conference, improving to 24-10 since Dec. 29. The teams play again Sunday in Cleveland.
Rookie of the Year candidate Cooper Flagg scored 25 points and Naji Marshall had 17 points and seven rebounds for the Mavericks, who have lost nine of their last 10 and are 3-19 since Jan. 24. Ryan Nembhard had eight points and nine assists.
The Cavaliers’ largest lead occurred midway through the fourth quarter at 129-94 on a baby hook shot by Thomas Bryant, who had 11 points off the bench. Cleveland scored 72 points in the paint, exploiting the absence of Mavericks center Daniel Gafford.
Dallas’ Klay Thompson went 0 of 5 beyond the arc, ending his streak of 49 games with a 3-pointer.
In the third, the officials permitted Dallas to inbound the ball toward the wrong basket after a timeout. The error was corrected once Cleveland coachKenny Atkinson alerted them that it should have been his team’s ball.
The Cavaliers were in command at the break 67-50, fueled by 60.9% shooting from the field. Mobley made 10 of 12 field-goal attempts, while Marshall had 12 points and Flagg struggled to six points.
Marshall scored Dallas’ first eight points, but its advantage was short-lived as Mobley poured in 16 points in the opening seven minutes to put Cleveland on top 20-14. The Cavaliers pushed their lead out to 38-21 after one.
P.J. Washington Jr. (left ankle soreness) and Gafford (rest) did not play after combining for 34 points Thursday in Dallas’ 120-112 win at the Memphis Grizzlies.
The Cavaliers were without center Jarrett Allen (right knee tendinitis) for the fourth game in a row. Swingman Sam Merrill was inactive with left hamstring tightness.
