After having their seven-game win streak come to an end at the hands of the Indiana Pacers, the Dallas Mavericks will hope to rebound against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Tuesday night. With a half game separating seeds five through eight in the West, every game feels as close to a must-win as a game in February can feel. For Cleveland, the stakes are equally high. They current sit a game ahead of the Milwaukee Bucks and would have home court advantage in a potential second round matchup in the playoffs.
There isn’t much to gleam from the teams’ first matchup in December. The Mavericks were without Kyrie Irving and have a much different rotation today. The Cavaliers were without Donovan Mitchell and Evan Mobley, but were able to ride Caris Levert’s hot hand and Jarrett Allen’s dominance in the paint to a 113-110 victory.
Here are three things to watch for during the game:
Which version of the Cavs will we see?
In the past five games, the Cavaliers are 2-3 with wins over the lowly Washington Wizards and struggling Chicago Bulls. The three defeats include two against a Philadelphia 76ers team that has come apart at the seams after Joel Embiid’s injury.
In the 18 games that preceded that five game run, the Cavaliers, led by Mitchell, were torching teams on their way to a 17-1 record. During that stretch, the Cavs looked like a team that deserved to be mentioned alongside the Bucks. While the Boston Celtics are still the class of the East, and possibly the NBA, Cleveland appeared to have cemented their spot in that next tier. So, what, exactly, has changed?
Mitchell’s absence in the Cavs’ first two games after the All-Star break certainly didn’t help things. The elephant in the room, however, is Darius Garland’s shooting splits. As his usage rate and role have decreased, so has his efficiency. In December, Garland was attempting 19.5 FGAs per game and shooting 35.9% from 3. He played just one game in January due to injury and since February 1st his FGAs have dropped down to 10.8 per game while his 3FG% has dipped to 32.7%. Is this a case of Garland getting his timing and rhythm back after an injury or is the synergy between he and Mitchell to blame? For the Mavericks’ sake, let’s hope the Cavaliers don’t figure it out before tip-off.
How will the Mavericks deal with the Cavs twin towers?
The Cavaliers are second in the league in defensive rating (110.4) thanks, in part, to their ability to rebound the basketball and limit teams’ second change opportunities. The Cavaliers are sixth in the league in defensive rebounds per game (34.3) and give up the 4th fewest points off second chance opportunities. If that isn’t enough, they also allow the third fewest number of points in the paint. Much of this is thanks to the play of Jarrett Allen, who torched the Mavericks with 24 points and 23 rebounds in that December game. Derrick Lively looked like a rookie center in that game. Don’t be surprised if Daniel Gafford sees starters minutes in this game. His physicality is more suited to counter Allen’s strength and veteran know-how.
P.J. Washington’s 3-point shot belongs on a milk carton
Before the trade for P.J. Washington was announced, I was criticized for stating I would have gladly traded Josh Green and a first-round pick for Washington. I believed in his defensive versatility and had faith his 3-point percentage would see an uptick with all of the clean looks he’d see playing alongside Luka and Kyrie. So far, I’m one for two. His ability to affect games with his size, athleticism, and switch-ability jumps off the screen. His 3-point attempts, however, look closer to shanked punts than they do jump shots at times.
Ultimately, I think he is still adjusting to his role and his shot will start falling with more consistently in time. His ability to attack close outs and create scoring opportunities for himself in the lane is a breath of fresh air. However, for this team to reach it’s full potential with him in the lineup, he needs to shoot at least 35% from three moving forward. 40% might be too much to ask for, but thankfully Washington brings enough to the table to where just league average production from deep would do wonders for the team. He has shot a paltry 19% from deep since the trade and that’s simply not good enough for a player with his talent.
How to watch
The game tips off at 6:00 p.m. CST on Bally Sports Southwest and NBA League Pass.