Cavaliers forward Evan Mobley was named to his first All-Star team last week.
The Dallas Mavericks (26-23) look to avenge a 12-point loss at home to the league-best Cleveland Cavaliers (39-9) to begin the year. The Cavs have reeled off three straight wins and will go for the 2-0 series sweep against the Mavs (3:30 ET, League Pass).
Here are five things to know before tip-off:
1. Battle of top 10 offenses: Cleveland and Dallas enter this contest as top 10 offenses in the NBA. The Cavs’ 121.6 offensive rating is the best in the league, while the Mavs’ 115.2 mark is good for 8th. They’re both ranked inside the top 10 in effective field goal and true shooting percentage, with the Cavs owning the highest marks in each category.
2. Dallas owning the paint: The Mavericks rank 10th in rebounds per game by grabbing 44.9 a night, and they block the fourth-most shots (6.0) across the Association. They’re active when it comes to creating additional scoring opportunities, as their 15.4 second chance points per contest are the fifth-most in the NBA.
3. Kyrie Irving’s return to Cleveland: Irving was drafted No. 1 overall by the Cavaliers back in 2011. He spent the first six seasons of his career with the Wine and Gold, and helped the franchise win its first and only NBA Championship in the 2015-16 season. Kyrie is having another great year for the Mavericks, averaging 24.3 points, 4.6 rebounds, 4.8 assists and 1.2 steals per game with shooting splits of 47.9/41.5/90.1.
4. Cavs bouncing back: After dropping three straight games by a combined 8 points from Jan. 22-25, Cleveland has rattled off three consecutive wins of at least 19 points. The Cavs have proven to the rest of the league that their offense is elite, but they’re making a statement on the defensive end with their recent play. Over the last three contests, Cleveland ranks third in defensive rating (106.5), second in net rating (20.0) and second in defensive rebounding percentage (76.1).
5. Cleveland has three All-Stars: The Cavaliers will be well-represented in San Francisco at the 2025 NBA All-Star Game, with Donovan Mitchell, Darius Garland and Evan Mobley all selected to partake in the festivities. With Cleveland owning the best record in the East, Head Coach Kenny Atkinson earned his spot as a coach for one of the four teams, which will take place on Sunday, Feb. 16. Mitchell will start in his 6th ASG appearance, while Darius Garland (2nd) and Evan Mobley (1st) will be reserves.
