Cleveland Cavaliers storm back in second half, upend Dallas Mavericks, 91-88
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Kyrie Irving scores 20 and Anderson Varejao has 17 points and 17 rebounds in triumph over defending NBA champs.
View full sizeTony Dejak, Associated PressKyrie Irving spins in his final basket of the game — despite the efforts of Dallas’ Brandan Wright — to give the Cavaliers a three-point lead in the final seconds of Saturday’s victory over the Mavericks at The Q.CLEVELAND, Ohio — Seven months ago, Cavaliers fans adopted Dirk Nowitzki as a hero for denying LeBron James a title in the NBA Finals. His parade of off-balance jumpers and clutch 3-pointers was all they had to celebrate in a season of anguish and suffering for the home side.
But as the Dallas Mavericks star could attest Saturday night, Cavaliers faithful have a new-look team and a 19-year-old rookie who can make a moment his own.
The Cavaliers rallied from an early deficit to stun the Mavericks, 91-88, at The Q as their new closer, Kyrie Irving, punctuated the victory with a pair of spectacular driving layups.
Nowitzki might have received a nice ovation before tipoff, but it was Irving and the Cavs who were bathed in the applause of 17,443 fans at the end as they beat their first opponent with an above-.500 record.
Anderson Varejao contributed 17 points and 17 rebounds and Antawn Jamison recovered from a dreadful start to finish with 19 points. But at winning time it was Irving who delivered the pair of twisting, turning, knifing drives that have become his signature move.
He put them ahead for good, 87-86, with 2:34 left. Irving supplied the dagger with 15 seconds remaining on an equally impressive drive.
“I just feel my teammates’ confidence down the stretch,” Irving said. “They just continue to give me the ball and they have the confidence in me to make the right play whether it’s for myself or them.”
Fans could not revel in victory until the Mavs’ Jason Terry and Brandon Wright each missed 3-point attempts. When the final horn sounded, however, Irving was being interviewed on the court, the culmination of a remarkable week that began with his game-winning layup in Boston on Sunday.
“He’s got that unique ability to get to the basket,” coach Byron Scott said. “And when he gets there he has a great way of finishing. Once he gets around guys, he’s just a great little finisher.”
Irving was 9-of-17 from the field with a team-high 20 points and seven assists in just under 36 minutes. He showed excellent stamina after playing nearly 40 minutes in Friday’s loss in Orlando.
“He’s a terrific young player and we didn’t guard him very well,” Mavs coach Rick Carlisle said. “He’s a very good penetrator and he made big plays.
“He was a great draft choice and he’s going to be a foundation piece here for more than a decade.”
Both the Cavs (9-13) and the Mavs (14-11) were playing their second game in as many nights. The Mavericks had been 6-2 in the back ends of those games, the Cavs just 1-4. But the hosts appeared the fresher side, particularly down the stretch. The Mavericks did not convert another field goal after Terry hit a 3-point with 4:14 remaining.
The Cavaliers, meanwhile, posted some telling statistics. They grabbed 17 offensive rebounds, forced 21 Dallas turnovers and registered 26 more shots. They won despite shooting just 39.8 percent.
They struggled mightily from the field before halftime. Irving missed his first five shots. Jamison missed his first six. Both Jamison and Luke Harangody launched perimeter scuds that caromed off the glass without drawing rim. The Cavs trailed by as many as 15 points.
But the third quarter was one of the Cavs’ best this season. They outscored the defending champions, 27-13, in a period that included a 13-0 run. Rookie shooting guard Mychel Thompson ignited the rally with a pair of 3-point shots.
“I thought that was big because it got us off to a good start in the third quarter,” Scott said.
The Cavs led, 70-64, to open the final quarter, but it looked like Nowitzki — mired in a season-long shooting slump — was going to return to his Finals form. He scored seven quick points and finished with 24.
But the Cavs hung tough behind Irving and Varejao, who has 61 rebounds in the last four games. The Brazilian became the first Cav since Brad Daugherty to collect 15 or more boards in three straight games.
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