Title: Mavericks 122:134 Cavaliers! Without "East Europe", Klay did his best, bravely taking on the offensive!
Content:
I. Game Preview:
The Mavericks lost to the Rockets in their last game, suffering a three-game losing streak, and are experiencing a minor slump. However, the main reason for this losing streak is due to team injuries and player suspensions from fighting.
In the previous game, Irving, Klay, and Lively sought revenge but still lost to the Rockets, causing great anger among the Mavericks players.
After the game, Klay took responsibility, saying, "It's my fault; I can't afford to make five turnovers in one game. Moreover, some of them don't even seem like the kind of mistakes I would make. I must protect the ball better. We're facing the Cavaliers next, who are very strong, so I have to improve quickly in these few days. The next game is my chance to bounce back."
Klay and Irving have been in good form recently, not because of their state, but probably because they just came back and need to find their rhythm in the game.
The Mavericks' upcoming schedule is very tough, starting with the Kings, Cavaliers, Grizzlies, Lakers, two games against the Nuggets, two against the Thunder, and finally the Celtics. Such opponents are a real test for the Mavericks without Doncic. If they play well, they can stabilize in the top four; if not, they could drop directly into the playoff play-in zone.
Currently, the Mavericks have a record of 20 wins and 14 losses, ranking fifth in the West, trailing the fourth-ranked Nuggets by 10 games and leading the sixth-ranked Clippers by 0.5 games.
Today's opponent, the Cavaliers, are in excellent form, having won their last game against the Lakers to secure an eight-game winning streak. These victories are of high quality, including wins over the Celtics, Nuggets, Bucks, Warriors, and Lakers.
The team has explosive scoring power and often takes away games in a single quarter.
After defeating the Warriors, the Warriors' head coach said, "They remind me of the team I joined when I first came to the Warriors."
After defeating the Nuggets, the Nuggets' head coach said, "They are a great team; they can do it every game, and it seems that no team can stop them."
Highly praised, this Cavaliers team currently feels invincible, with both their bench and starters capable of shooting and playing consistently.
So far, the Cavaliers have a record of 29 wins and 4 losses, ranking first in the East and the league.
II. Player Performance Rating:
Starting lineups:
Mavericks: Dinwiddie, Graham, Klay, Washington, Lively
Cavaliers: Garland, Mitchell, Wade, Mobley, Allen
Klay (8 points):
Performance: Started the game as the most important outside scorer for the Mavericks. Klay had a great first half, initially struggling to score but then breaking through for free throws and finding his rhythm to hit a three-pointer. He scored 5 points in the first quarter with 5 attempts and 16 points with 9 attempts in the first half, including 2 assists.
In the second half, Klay reduced his offensive efforts and did not score.
Personal opinion: In this game, with Doncic and Irving unable to play, the team's offense was greatly reduced. Klay bravely took on the responsibility, increased his offensive efforts to score for the team, and prevented a collapse. Klay's performance in this game was impeccable, scoring 16 points with 13 attempts, grabbing 2 rebounds, and making 3 assists.
Washington (6 points):
Performance: Started the game and played very well today. As a defensive forward, he was very active in defense and efficient in offense, with a good outside touch. He scored 7 points with 6 attempts and grabbed 3 rebounds in the first quarter, totaling 10 points and 4 rebounds in the first half. His efficiency dropped in the second half, finishing with 15 points on 18 attempts.
Lively (7 points):
Performance: Started the game and had a relatively average day today, focusing on defense as the main rim protector. He grabbed multiple offensive rebounds, participated less in offense, and had fewer opportunities, but basically completed his tasks, scoring 7 points with 5 attempts and grabbing 11 rebounds.
Dinwiddie (5 points):
Performance: Started the game and had an average day today. With Doncic and Irving unable to play, he had more opportunities to perform and possessed a lot of ball control. He was very active in the first quarter but had low offensive efficiency, scoring 2 points with 7 attempts and grabbing 4 rebounds with 3 assists in the first half. His state remained unchanged in the second half, with little contribution, finishing with 2 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists on 7 attempts.
Graham (10 points):
Performance: Started the game and played well today. With Doncic and Irving unable to play, he increased his role on the court, seized the opportunity to showcase his abilities, and played steadily and efficiently with three-pointers and breakthroughs, scoring 26 points on 14 attempts.
Gafford (7 points):
Performance: Came off the bench as an important rotational player and had a good day today. With limited playing time, his main task was to protect the paint. After entering the game, he became a giant in the paint, continuously grabbing offensive rebounds and scoring. He scored 5 points with 2 attempts, grabbed 2 rebounds, and made 1 block in the first quarter, totaling 7 points in the first half. He finished with 12 points and 8 rebounds on 6 attempts.
Williams (8 points):
Performance: Came off the bench and had a great day today. With Doncic and Irving unable to play and Dinwiddie performing averagely, he was called upon in a crisis and seized the opportunity to play well, fearlessly fighting and scoring with breakthroughs and three-pointers. He scored 8 points in the first half on 6 attempts. He was a surprise player, finishing with 13 points, 2 rebounds on 7 attempts.
Kleber (5 points):
Performance: Came off the bench and had an average day today. As an inside player with three-point range, he did not play to his potential, with fewer shooting opportunities and low accuracy, scoring 2 points on 4 attempts.
Hardy (8 points):
In this game, he came off the bench and had a great day today. With multiple players unable to play, he increased his playing time, played efficiently, seized the opportunity, and finished with 17 points on 11 attempts.
III. Game Review:
In the first quarter of this game, the Mavericks scored first, with Washington hitting 2 points. Wade responded with a three-pointer, and Mitchell added 4 points, giving the Cavaliers a 5-point lead. Klay responded with 2 points to stop the bleeding for the Mavericks. The Cavaliers hit another three-pointer, and Klay responded in kind, keeping the score close. Midway through the game, the Mavericks built momentum and led the Cavaliers by 2 points. At the end of the game, the Cavaliers went on a scoring spree, ending the first quarter with the Mavericks trailing 21:32.
In the second quarter, the Cavaliers scored first, adding 5 points to take a 16-point lead. Hardy scored 2 points to stop the bleeding for the Mavericks. The Cavaliers followed with a dunk to add 2 more points. Then Klay hit a three-pointer, reducing the deficit to 13 points. Midway through the quarter, both teams were locked in a stalemate, with the score difference maintained at 13 points. At the end of the quarter, the Cavaliers suddenly opened up their three-point shooting, hitting several in a row. The second quarter ended with the Mavericks trailing 53:69.
In the third quarter, the Cavaliers scored first, with Garland and Allen hitting consecutive three-pointers to take a 19-point lead. Graham hit a three-pointer to stop the bleeding for the Mavericks. Mitchell followed with another three-pointer. Midway through the quarter, the Cavaliers continued to score while the Mavericks missed several shots, expanding the lead to 23 points. Towards the end of the quarter, the Mavericks started to catch up, with Graham scoring 8 points in a row. The third quarter ended with the Mavericks trailing 85:100.
In the fourth quarter, the Mavericks launched a strong counterattack, continuously closing the gap, but the Cavaliers always responded. The Mavericks had no choice but to accept defeat.
IV. Summary:
With their two core players absent, the Mavericks' offensive power was greatly reduced, and scoring in the first half was very difficult. Fortunately, Klay and the young player Williams performed well in stages, with Klay scoring 16 points and Williams adding 8, but they still couldn't match the Cavaliers' firepower and trailed by 16 points at halftime.
In the second half, the Cavaliers demonstrated their powerful offensive capabilities, with multiple players contributing and unstoppable scoring. However, the Mavericks remained tenacious, not collapsing and fighting until the end.
Klay, Graham, and Hardy bravely stepped up to take on the scoring responsibilities for the Mavericks, which is commendable.
V. Both Sides' Data:
Mavericks
Cavaliers