The Cleveland Cavaliers needed a statement. After dropping four of their last seven games — including a gut-punch loss to Orlando just two nights earlier — they walked into American Airlines Center on Friday night and delivered one.

Evan Mobley matched his season high with 29 points, Donovan Mitchell scored 24 and the Cleveland Cavaliers beat the Dallas Mavericks 138-105 on Friday night in the opener of a home-and-home series.

The Cleveland Cavaliers have now lost two out of their last three games.

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DALLAS (AP) — Evan Mobley igualó su máximo número de la temporada con 29 puntos, Donovan Mitchell aportó 24 y los Cavaliers de Cleveland aplastaron el viernes 138-105 a los Mavericks de Dallas, en el primer partido de una serie de ida y vuelta.

The Cavaliers pulled a win against the 76ers as the Eastern Conference is getting tighter at the top four. Cleveland is back tonight now sitting half a game back from third in the East.

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Across 76 possessions played together, which is a very small volume, the new core four has a +36.7 NET, 125.0 ORTNG and 88.3 DRTNG, all of which are in the 97th percentile and above. That's incredible,