(Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
CLEVELAND, OH -- Dallas Mavericks first-round pick Luka Doncic was welcomed by a large group of Slovenians when he entered Quicken Loans Arena,which gave the feeling that Doncic could be ready for a big night. The Cavaliers have been playing much better recently, as they came into tonight searching for their third straight victory.
Luka Doncic simply could not be stopped in the first half, putting up an eye-popping 28 points, as he led to Mavs to a 58-55 lead at halftime. Cleveland made the necessary adjustments to slow down Doncic in the second half, as the rookie guard was held to 7 points in the second half. Despite having a sound defensive game, the Cavaliers found themselves struggling to score the basketball, and in-turn were unable to regain the lead in the second half. After outscoring the Cavaliers in both the 3rd and 4th quarters, the Mavericks cruised to a 111-98 win.
Throughout the entire season, Clarkson has been the most reliable player for this young Cavaliers team. In a game where the Cavs needed someone to create shots on their own, Clarkson came off of the bench and scored a team-high 19 points. Cavaliers' rookie Collin Sexton lead the Cavaliers starters in points, scoring 13 points on a rough 4-17 shooting. Cedi Osman suffered an apparent right ankle injury in the first half and was not able to return.
The Cleveland Cavaliers will look to bounce back on Tuesday, February 5th, as they will square off at home against the Boston Celtics. Tip-off is set for 7:00 PM ET at Quicken Loans Arena.