Cavaliers embarrass Mavericks in 1st game since Dallas' Luka Doncic trade

The Dallas Mavericks were acold from energized successful their archetypal crippled since the squad traded Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers and acquired Anthony Davis.

The Mavericks allowed the Cleveland Cavaliers 91 points astatine halftime and mislaid the crippled 144-101.

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Cleveland Cavaliers defender Sam Merrill reacts aft hitting a 3-point handbasket successful the archetypal fractional of an NBA hoops crippled against the Dallas Mavericks, Sunday, Feb. 2, 2025, successful Cleveland. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)

"Everyone was conscionable locked successful adjacent with the commercialized and everything that was going connected today," Cavs prima Evan Mobley said aft the game. "We started blistery and kept our ft connected the gas."

Sam Merrill added 9 3-pointers for Cleveland. The Cavaliers made 16 3-pointers successful the archetypal fractional and finished with 26 successful total.

"We were astatine 80 (points) with similar 4 minutes left, and I was like, ‘Man, let’s effort to get 100,’" Merrill said. "But these games aren’t ever easy. I’ve been a portion of games wherever everyone is out, and it’s a adjacent crippled due to the fact that it’s hard to person the close mindset successful a crippled similar this.

"It’s specified a recognition to the starters to travel retired and play the close mode and pass and support and stock the basketball. To get retired to that large pb and past the seat guys travel successful and support it going. I’ve been a portion of immoderate 80s but 90 (at halftime) is crazy."

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Mavericks defender Luka Doncic looks connected from the squad seat during the 2nd 4th against the Washington Wizards astatine the American Airlines Center connected Jan. 27, 2025 successful Dallas. (Jerome Miron-Imagn Images)

It was the closing of a chaotic time for the Mavericks. Dallas woke up, and its five-time All-Star was abruptly traded to the Lakers.

Mavericks wide manager Nico Harrison defended the deal earlier the game.

"I recognize wherefore [fans] would beryllium shocked, initially," Harrison told the Dallas Morning News. 

"But I bash judge that we positioned ourselves to triumph present and besides triumph successful the future. And that’s yet the extremity and wherefore we’re here. It’s 1 of those things wherever it’s my occupation to marque the pugnacious decisions that enactment our goals archetypal and foremost."

Doncic’s $207 cardinal hold is acceptable to expire this year, and helium was owed for a supermax that was worthy implicit $340 million. Plus, helium was soon capable to opt retired of immoderate different deals. So, Harrison wanted security. Now, he’s not eligible for the supermax anymore.

"We truly consciousness similar we got up of what was going to beryllium a tumultuous summer, him being eligible for the supermax and besides a twelvemonth distant from him being capable to opt retired of immoderate contract," Harrison said. "And truthful we truly felt similar we got retired successful beforehand of that. We cognize teams, they’ve had it retired there, teams person been loading up to effort to motion him erstwhile that comes available."

Dallas Mavericks caput manager Jason Kidd, left, and wide manager Nico Harrison sermon the commercialized of Luka Doncic connected Feb. 2, 2025, successful Cleveland. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)

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Doncic thanked fans for their enactment portion helium was with Dallas. He did not notation the Mavericks successful his goodbye message.

Fox News' Ryan Morik and the Associated Press contributed to this report.

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