The Dallas Mavericks will play the Cleveland Cavaliers on Tuesday in the second game of a difficult four-game road trip, looking to recover from their shocking loss to the Indiana Pacers.
When the Dallas Mavericks last played the Cleveland Cavaliers on December 27, they were a different club. The Mavs only scored 41 points in the second half on their way to blowing a 20-point lead and losing 113-100. Not only was it prior to Dallas’ deals for P.J. Washington and Daniel Gafford, but star point guard Kyrie Irving did not play in that game either.
The Mavs will play the Cavs on Tuesday night in the second game of a difficult four-game road trip, with the goal of exacting revenge for an earlier-season defeat. There will be a lot of incentive for Dallas in this one as they are coming off a humiliating 133-111 loss to the Indiana Pacers after winning seven straight games.
In addition to the major plot point of Irving’s return to Cleveland, where he co-won a championship with LeBron James, we should also be watching what Luka Doncic can achieve, considering that Cleveland is home to the greatest concentration of Slovenians outside of Slovenia.
Cavaliers have been splendid off late
Given that Doncic has missed the Mavs’ last two games in Cleveland, we would anticipate that he will entertain fans.
Since the start of the season, the Cavaliers have played some outstanding basketball. From January 3 through February 10, they won 17 of 18 games and moved up to second place in the Eastern Conference. Since then, though, they’ve experienced some setbacks, finishing just 2-3 in their last five games, with their two victories coming against the Washington Wizards and Chicago Bulls.
The Mavs should be able to turn things around if they put in the right amount of effort and energy after a humiliating blowout loss to the Pacers.