NBA roundup: Cavaliers rout Mavericks in first game post-Doncic trade

The Dallas Mavericks, shaken by the unexpected trade of superstar Luka Doncic and plagued by injuries, suffered a significant defeat, losing 144-101 to the NBA-leading Cleveland Cavaliers on Sunday.

In a challenging beginning to the post-Doncic phase, the Mavericks struggled to find their footing, affected not only by the emotional fallout from the trade announced the previous night but also by the absence of several key starters, including Kyrie Irving, P.J. Washington, and Daniel Gafford.

With Anthony Davis, the prominent big man acquired from the Los Angeles Lakers in the Doncic trade, and Dallas-bound Laker Max Christie not yet available, the Mavericks faced a daunting challenge, falling behind 50-19 in the first quarter.

The Cavaliers showed no signs of slowing down, setting a franchise record with 26 three-pointers and leading by as much as 53 points during the game.

Sam Merrill emerged from the bench to lead the Cavaliers with 27 points, including nine three-pointers on 13 attempts. His final three-pointer broke the previous record of 25 in a game, a mark the Cavaliers had reached twice before.

Merrill was one of eight Cleveland players to score in double figures, with Evan Mobley contributing 22 points and 11 rebounds, while Darius Garland added 17 points and 10 assists before resting for the entire fourth quarter alongside the other starters.

Jaden Hardy was the top scorer for the Mavericks, finishing with 21 points off the bench. Dante Exum, in just his second game of the season following wrist surgery in October, scored 14 points, but sharpshooter Klay Thompson struggled, managing only two points on 1-of-10 shooting.

"I think the first quarter set the tone for us," remarked Mavs coach Jason Kidd. "We improved after that, and I felt we performed much better in the second half."

In a pre-game press conference that largely revolved around the trade, Kidd appeared to be a coach fully aware of the challenges his team would face less than 24 hours after the deal sent ripples throughout the league.

The reporter inquired, "So, do you have any questions regarding the game?" with a hint of nostalgia, before proceeding to announce a list of seven players who would not be participating, including Christie and Davis, both marked as inactive due to a "trade pending" status.

While Kidd expressed his agreement with Mavericks general manager Nico Harrison's defense-oriented approach in acquiring Davis for Dallas, he confessed that his initial response was one of "shock."

"It is somewhat surprising, but we must continue to advance as an organization and as a team," Kidd remarked.
Initially, the Celtics seemed to adopt a relaxed demeanor against the 76ers, but they shifted gears in the second half.

After struggling with their three-point shooting in the first half, the Celtics converted 14 of their 22 attempts from beyond the arc in the second half, concluding the game with a total of 21 three-pointers.

Jayson Tatum scored 25 of his 35 points during the second half, and the Celtics executed a remarkable 20-1 scoring run in the fourth quarter to take control of the game.

Jaylen Brown contributed 21 points and 10 rebounds, while Kristaps Porzingis added 18 points for the Celtics.

Tyrese Maxey led the Sixers with 34 points, marking his fifth consecutive game with at least 30 points.

On a day when the Doncic-Davis trade dominated NBA discussions, Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla began his pre-game comments in Philadelphia by stating, "Please refrain from asking me about the trade, as it does not concern me."

Amidst the buzz surrounding the Doncic-Davis transaction, Cade Cunningham led the Detroit Pistons to a 127-119 victory over the Chicago Bulls, scoring 22 points and securing 15 rebounds, despite Bulls center Nikola Vucevic achieving a triple-double with 20 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists.

SportsLigue