Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic (77) shoots against Cleveland Cavaliers defenders Emoni Bates (21), Isaac Okoro (35) and Dean Wade (32) during the first half of an NBA basketball game in Dallas, Wednesday, Dec. 27, 2023. (AP Photo/LM Otero)
Caris LeVert scored 29 points, hitting the go-ahead 3-pointer late in the fourth quarter, and the Cleveland Cavaliers rallied from 20 points down in the first half to beat the Dallas Mavericks 113-110 on Wednesday night.
The Mavericks went five minutes without scoring in the fourth quarter as a nine-point lead turned into a 111-105 deficit with 1:13 remaining.
Jarrett Allen had 24 points and 23 rebounds, one off his career high, and Isaac Okoro scored 22 points as the Cavs improved to 3-1 in the four consecutive games Donovan Mitchell has missed with an illness. The star guard was on the bench in street clothes, chatting up teammates during timeouts.
Luka Doncic scored 39 points for Dallas to get to at least 30 for the 14th time in 15 games, nine of them in the 10 straight games All-Star sidekick Kyrie Irving has missed with a right heel injury.
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Facing a trip to Western Conference-leading Minnesota to finish a back-to-back, the Mavs rested Doncic almost six minutes to start the fourth, but they couldn't score after the four-time All-Star returned. Cleveland's 15-0 run for the lead started as soon as Doncic came back.
LeVert, Allen and Max Strus all scored at the rim before a two-minute scoreless drought for both teams ended with two free throws from LeVert, who scored 15 points in the fourth after missing the previous game with a knee injury.
The Mavs trailed by six with 21 seconds left but still had a chance to tie on a final possession after Georges Niang missed two free throws with eight seconds remaining.
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Cleveland trapped Doncic near midcourt after he caught the inbound pass, and Seth Curry's desperation 3 at the buzzer was blocked by Strus.
Niang scored 16 points, and Craig Porter Jr. had nine points and 12 rebounds.
Curry scored a season-high 19 points. Josh Green returned for Dallas after missing 12 games with a right elbow sprain, scoring two points with five assists in 21 minutes.
UP NEXT
Cavaliers: Host Milwaukee on Friday night.
Mavericks: At Minnesota on Thursday night.
