Top Takeaways From the Cleveland Cavaliers' Victory Over the Dallas Mavericks

The Cleveland Cavaliers continued to bob in and out of the win column with a dominant 138-105 win over the Dallas Mavericks.

Donovan Mitchell used a strong scoring night to end with 24 points while tacking on eight assists.

Rookie forward Cooper Flagg countered with 25 points and five assists of his own.

All Gas, No Brakes

Cleveland ended with a season-high 61.5% clip from the floor as it rarely seemed to let its foot off the gas from start to finish. It flew by with more than 40 points in the third quarter, a feat it last pulled off in a February win over the Portland Trail Blazers, to pair with 32 total assists as they all but sealed a victory far before the final horn.

The Cavs added 12 steals, their highest in over a month, as they kept Dallas off balance with some solid defense while limiting it to just over 27% from the 3-point line.

Five Cavaliers, including a few of Cleveland's more recent additions, ended the night in double figures with highlight nights of their own. Keon Ellis, who stole the show in a recent win over the Philadelphia 76ers, reached his fourth night in double figures as a Cavalier while splashing home three of his five 3-point attempts. James Harden tacked on 17 points as he overcame a slower shooting start to make six of his final eight shots.

Mar 13, 2026; Dallas, Texas, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers center Evan Mobley (4) dunks past Dallas Mavericks guard Max Christie (00) during the first half at American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images | Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

Evan Mobley Dominates the Paint

Evan Mobley used a brilliant first half to tie his season-high of 29 points as he hammered the paint with an assortment of inside shots. He would only miss one attempt from the paint in the first half, a pivoting layup against Flagg he would immediately clean up with a put-back dunk. The 5th-year Cavalier added four first-half boards, including two on offense, before ending the night with seven.

Mobley has hit the 29-point mark on two other occasions this season, including a close win over the Sacramento Kings in January.

The 24-year-old would add 13 rebounds, seven assists and four blocks in a home bout that saw now-Cavaliers guard Dennis Schröder score 21 points off the bench. The Cavs will need Mobley's interior presence when they head back to Cleveland on Sunday, their last short home stop before taking on two divisional opponents, the Milwaukee Bucks and Chicago Bulls.

The Cavs will tip off against the Mavs at 3:30 p.m. EDT on Sunday in Rocket Arena. The game will be broadcast on NBA TV and FanDuel Sports Network - Ohio.