Game 31: Cleveland Cavaliers (17-13) vs. Dallas Mavericks (18-12)

[SleepingHero]

Dallas Mavericks Injury Report vs. Cleveland Cavaliers - Updated:

Luka Doncic - questionable (left quad soreness)
Josh Green - questionable (right elbow sprain)
Tim Hardaway Jr. - questionable (illness)
Kyrie Irving - out (right heel contusion)
Maxi Kleber - out (right small toe dislocation)
Greg Brown III - out (G League)
Dexter Dennis - out (G League)



Cleveland Cavaliers Injury Report vs. Dallas Mavericks:

Donovan Mitchell - questionable (illness)
Caris LeVert - questionable (left knee tendonitis)
Sam Merrill - doubtful (right wrist sprain)
Darius Garland - out (jaw fracture)
Evan Mobley - out (left knee surgery)
Ty Jerome - out (right ankle sprain)
Ricky Rubio - out (not with team)

[Chicagojk]

I hope Luka plays tonight. Give him tomorrow off. But lets get the win against a short handed Cavs team. My concerns are continued high minutes for Luka. Need to find more rest for him. Second, Mavs just came off a high win. Letdown coming?

[KillerLeft]

I hope Luka plays tonight.    Give him tomorrow off.  But lets get the win against a short handed Cavs team.    My concerns are continued high minutes for Luka.  Need to find more rest for him.  Second, Mavs just came off a high win.    Letdown coming?

I hope not. Seems like this is the winnable half of the back-to-back. 

I would go all out tonight and mail in tomorrow.

[Chicagojk]

Luka, Green and Hardaway all playing. Kyrie and Maxi remain out

[KillerLeft]

Luka, Green and Hardaway all playing.    Kyrie and Maxi remain out

I hope Green is actually ready and they're not letting him play too early because of this:

https://x.com/sixfivelando/status/174017...22345?s=20

[mvossman]

I hope Green is actually ready and they're not letting him play too early because of this:

https://x.com/sixfivelando/status/174017...22345?s=20

I hope not either.  Below is the DARKO graph of his historical play.  The plateau is when he hurt that elbow the first time.  It seems like he has never fully recovered.

Crap, Can't seem to add the picture.  Basically its a steady fairly steep rise starting as a below replacement player at the beginning of his career to a better than average NBA player early last season until the injury.  Its been heading the wrong way ever since.

[KillerLeft]

Williams plays backup 5 again tonight. This is officially something they’re trying.

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Williams looking good there, so far.

[DallasMaverick]

Dang. 

I’d forgotten what a good passer Green is.

[KillerLeft]

Grant Williams held up just fine. He’s actually one of the team’s better options there when it comes to rebounding, it seems to me.

Good to see Curry get going!

[KillerLeft]

If Hardaway and Curry are both hitting quick release 3’s tonight, Cleveland should just give up.

[KillerLeft]

DJJ has basically been given the first green light of his NBA career and is making the most of it, imo.

[mvossman]

They are shooting under 30% from 3 and up 15.

[Scott41theMavs]

Green at +15 at halftime. And we're up 15. I am not watching the game. Does the eye test bear up that he's doing well on defense?

[KillerLeft]

Green at +15 at halftime. And we're up 15. I am not watching the game. Does the eye test bear up that he's doing well on defense?

No, he didn’t play badly, but he didn’t make a +15 impact. 

Curry was the bench guy in the first half. Williams made a bigger impact than Green, I’d say. Everyone played pretty well in the first half except for Powell, maybe.

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I think Derrick Lively is in danger of being outplayed at center for the first time in a WHILE. Going back and forth, so far, but Allen has gotten the best of him a few times.

[KillerLeft]

They are shooting under 30% from 3 and up 15.

FT’s, points off of turnovers and fast break points. 

All of which were not strengths last season.

[KillerLeft]

Luka isn’t super locked in to start this half. He just gave up a rare, easy transition basket out of laziness. Haven’t seen him do that in a while.

Followed it up with a sweet lob to Jones though.

[RoyTarpleysGhost]

THJ with the worst half of basketball I’ve seen anyone play in a while. Lively invisible first half after getting in foul trouble.

Luka saving energy on the defensive end.

Kidd experimenting with zone.

Letting Cleveland hang around but we’re much better and should win. Should.

[KillerLeft]

THJ with the worst half of basketball I’ve seen anyone play in a while.

Lively and DJJ with bad first halves too.

Luka saving energy on the defensive end.

Kidd experimenting with zone.

Letting Cleveland hang around but we’re much better and should win. Should.

Wow, I didn’t get that at all.

I think some of that describes the 3rd QUARTER, but not the first half.

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I like how Grant competes on defense, but he’s got to start hitting shots.

[RoyTarpleysGhost]

THJ is 1/8 and gave up countless uncontested threes.

Lively with 3 rebounds. Allen with 13.

Not sure what you’re watching.

[KillerLeft]

Green is starting to make some hustle impact out there. They need it, too.