The Cavaliers were down by 15 at the half and eight to start the 4th quarter and led by high scorer Caris LeVert who had 29 points with 15 points in the final 12 minutes.
The big stat in this game that won the day was rebounding as the Cavs outrebounded 57-37 with Jarrett Allen who dominated the glass with 23 rebounds. Allen also added 24 points.
Cleveland made seven more three-pointers compared to Dallas.
Caris LeVert led the way with 29 points, sinking a crucial 3-pointer in the late fourth quarter, as the Cleveland Cavaliers mounted an impressive comeback against the Dallas Mavericks on Wednesday night. Overcoming a 20-point deficit from the first half, the Cavaliers secured a 113-110 victory.
In the final quarter, the Mavericks struggled, enduring a five-minute scoring drought that transformed their nine-point lead into a 111-105 deficit with just 1:13 remaining. Jarrett Allen delivered a standout performance with 24 points and 23 rebounds, narrowly missing his career-high mark. Isaac Okoro contributed 22 points, aiding the Cavs in securing their third win in the four consecutive games that Donovan Mitchell missed due to illness.
Mitchell, the star guard, was present on the bench in street clothes, engaging with teammates during timeouts. Luka Doncic put up an impressive 39 points for Dallas, marking his 14th instance of scoring at least 30 points in 15 games. Notably, nine of these games coincided with the absence of All-Star Kyrie Irving, sidelined with a right heel injury.
Despite resting Doncic for nearly six minutes at the start of the fourth quarter, the Mavericks couldn’t regain control after his return. Cleveland took advantage, embarking on a 15-0 run for the lead. LeVert, Allen, and Max Strus all contributed crucial points, with LeVert scoring 15 in the fourth quarter alone after sitting out the previous game due to a knee injury.
As the game approached its conclusion, the Mavericks found themselves trailing by six with 21 seconds left. Despite a chance to tie in the final possession, Georges Niang missed two free throws, leaving the door open. Cleveland executed a trapping defense on Doncic, and Strus blocked Seth Curry’s last-second desperation 3-pointer at the buzzer.
Noteworthy performances included Niang’s 16 points, Craig Porter Jr.’s nine points and 12 rebounds, and Curry’s season-high 19 points. Josh Green made a return for Dallas after missing 12 games with a right elbow sprain, contributing two points and five assists in 21 minutes.
Host Milwaukee on Friday night.
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