Cavaliers Blowout Mavericks to Close in on Knicks

Cleveland cruises to 138-105 victory, improving to 41-26 on the season.

Mar. 14, 2026 at 12:21pm

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The Cleveland Cavaliers bounced back from a recent slump with a dominant 138-105 win over the Dallas Mavericks. The victory moves the Cavaliers to within 1.5 games of the third-place New York Knicks in the Eastern Conference standings. Evan Mobley led the way for Cleveland with 29 points and 7 rebounds, while Donovan Mitchell added 17 points. The Cavaliers' bench also played a key role, with Thomas Bryant, Dennis Schroder, Jaylon Tyson, and Nae'Qwan Tomlin all scoring in double figures.

Why it matters

The Cavaliers' win over the Mavericks is an important step in their pursuit of a higher playoff seed in the East. With the Knicks and Celtics struggling, Cleveland has a chance to move up the standings and potentially challenge for home-court advantage in the postseason.

The details

The Cavaliers jumped out to a 38-21 lead after the first quarter and never looked back, leading by as much as 35 points at one point. Cleveland was able to force the Mavericks into poor shot selection all night, with Dallas shooting just 44% from the field and 27% from 3-point range. The Cavaliers also won the rebounding battle 45-40.

  • The Cavaliers and Mavericks will play again on Sunday in Cleveland.

The players

Evan Mobley

The Cavaliers' second-year center had a dominant performance, scoring 29 points and grabbing 7 rebounds.

Donovan Mitchell

The Cavaliers' star guard scored 17 points, including 12 in the third quarter to help Cleveland pull away.

Thomas Bryant

The Cavaliers' reserve center came off the bench to score 11 points.

Keon Ellis

The Cavaliers' trade deadline acquisition had 13 points on 3-of-5 shooting from 3-point range.

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What they’re saying

“We must not let individuals continue to damage private property in San Francisco.”

— Robert Jenkins, San Francisco resident (San Francisco Chronicle)

“Fifty years is such an accomplishment in San Francisco, especially with the way the city has changed over the years.”

— Gordon Edgar, grocery employee (Instagram)

What’s next

The Cavaliers and Mavericks will play again on Sunday in Cleveland.

The takeaway

The Cavaliers' dominant win over the Mavericks is a significant step in their pursuit of a higher playoff seed in the Eastern Conference. With the Knicks and Celtics struggling, Cleveland has a chance to make a move up the standings and potentially challenge for home-court advantage in the postseason.