Final Score: Cleveland Cavaliers erased 20-point deficit to beat Dallas Mavericks 113-110 Caris LeVert and Jarrett Allen led the undermanned Cavs to an improbable road win from a 20-point deficit.
Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Dallas Mavericks The Cleveland Cavaliers, without their front three of Darius Garland, Donovan Mitchell and Evan Mobley, erased a 20-point deficit en route to a 113-110 victory over the Dallas Mavericks. Cleveland was paced by Caris LeVert (29 points, seven assists) and Jarrett Allen (24 points, 23 rebounds, six assists), although they received a nice contribution from Isaac Okoro and Craig Porter Jr. Here are some postgame thoughts from perhaps the Cavs’ wildest and best win of the season. IC3 IC3 BABY A lot of Cavs jokes in recent years have usually ended with “something Isaac Okoro can’t shoot,” but that wasn’t the case tonight. Okoro shot the basketball in spectacular fashion, including 4-7 from deep and 7-13 overall. He hit his usual corner kicks but also made some smart cuts to keep the attack moving. Bad, riot and more riot!#LetEmKnow | @cavs pic.twitter.com/U59VKqLUWT — Bally Sports Cleveland (@BallySportsCLE) December 28, 2023 The second half starts with IC3. Tune in next 24 minutes for @BallySportsCLE @isaacokoro303 | #LetEmKnow pic.twitter.com/UsYsO2vwQd — Cleveland Cavaliers (@cavs) December 28, 2023 Okoro’s offensive development has been debated for half a decade at this point, but there’s reason to believe he’s turned something around. He looks much more comfortable shooting the basketball, getting into his spots, and has a better sense of what to do when he doesn’t have the ball. Even with the starting lineup returning to full strength, Okoro has earned consistent playing time. Another dominant game from Jarrett Allen In a game where he should have played very poorly against a rebounding team that started a rookie center, Jarrett Allen did what he had to: dominate. Allen was unstoppable with 24 points, 23 rebounds and six assists, continuing his stellar play when the Cavs needed him most. Allen filled the stat sheet, but it was his defensive play against Luka Doncic that changed the game dramatically in the second half. The Cavs double teamed Doncic and Allen and proved too much to overcome on the final possession. Doncic struggled and had to hand it off to Seth Curry, whose 3-pointer was blocked by Max Strus. Allen’s ability to defend in space and on the perimeter was against one of the best offensive players in the league and had a direct impact on the game. JUNKYARD DOGS @cavs rally in Dallas by double digits and beat the Mavs on the road! #LetEmKnow pic.twitter.com/17Qc70Yg4L — Bally Sports Cleveland (@BallySportsCLE) December 28, 2023 Caris LeVert doing his thing Yes, Caris LeVert can be a frustrating player. But make no mistake, when he’s on the heater, he’s hard to defend. LeVert was a three-tier scorer tonight. He went 6-for-11 from 3-point range, got to the rim and made his usual contested mid-range shots. He was out in the fourth quarter and scored 15 of his 29 points in the final frame. LeVert also had seven assists, which can’t be overlooked either. He and CPJ led the charge as the main playmakers.
