DALLAS (Interstat) — Evan Mobley scored 29 points to lead the Cleveland Cavaliers to a 138-105 rout of the Dallas Mavericks on Friday night at American Airlines Center. The Cavaliers seized control with a 38-point first quarter and never trailed, improving to 41-26. Donovan Mitchell added 24 points and eight assists for Cleveland. James Harden contributed 17 points, seven rebounds and seven assists. Cooper Flagg led the Mavericks, who fell to 22-45, with 25 points. Naji Marshall scored 17 and Dwight Powell had 11 points and 11 rebounds. A crowd of 19,512 watched as Cleveland shot efficiently from the field and built a 67-50 halftime lead. The Cavaliers extended their advantage to 108-83 after three quarters. The teams meet again in Cleveland on Sunday.

DALLAS (Interstat) — Evan Mobley matched his season high with 29 points, Donovan Mitchell added 24 and the Cleveland Cavaliers delivered a dominant wire-to-wire performance in a 138-105 victory over the Dallas Mavericks on Friday night at American Airlines Center. The game, the opener of a home-and-home series, was effectively decided in a blistering first quarter. The Cavaliers, the visiting team, erupted for 38 points while holding the Mavericks to 21, establishing a 17-point lead that Dallas never seriously threatened. Cleveland’s offensive execution was nearly flawless, shooting 61.5 percent from the field and connecting on 18 of 38 attempts from 3-point range. Mobley set the tone immediately, scoring 16 of his points in the opening period. The 6-foot-11 center from San Diego was relentless, finishing 12 for 15 from the field and grabbing seven rebounds in just 23 minutes of action. He had 23 points by halftime, the second-highest scoring half of his career, as the Cavaliers extended their lead. The most important sequence of the game came during that decisive first-quarter surge. After the Mavericks briefly closed to within 10-8, Mobley ignited a 20-4 Cleveland run over the next four and a half minutes. He scored 10 points during the stretch, including two 3-pointers, and capped it with a driving layup that forced a Dallas timeout with the Cavaliers ahead 28-12. The Mavericks, visibly out of rhythm, committed multiple turnovers and missed several defensive assignments, allowing Cleveland to build an insurmountable advantage before the game was even eight minutes old. James Harden orchestrated the offense with 17 points, seven rebounds and seven assists for Cleveland, which improved to 41-26. Keon Ellis added 13 points off the bench. The Cavaliers’ ball movement was exceptional, leading to high-percentage shots and a season-high point total. Dallas, which fell to 22-45, was led by rookie forward Cooper Flagg with 25 points. Dwight Powell posted a double-double with 11 points and 11 rebounds, and Naji Marshall scored 17 points. The Mavericks struggled to find consistent offense outside of Flagg and were unable to string together enough defensive stops to mount a comeback. Cleveland’s lead ballooned to as many as 36 points in the second half. A crowd of 19,512 watched as the Cavaliers methodically increased their margin each quarter, scoring 29 in the second, a game-high 41 in the third and 30 in the fourth. Dallas managed 29, 33 and 22 in the final three periods, respectively, but the early deficit was far too great to overcome. The victory continued a strong stretch for Mobley, who has averaged 19.8 points over his last five games. It also helped Cleveland bounce back from a 122-128 loss at Orlando on Wednesday. Dallas, coming off a road win in Memphis on Thursday, saw a brief two-game winning streak snapped. The two teams will complete their back-to-back set on Sunday in Cleveland. The Cavaliers will then embark on a three-game road trip starting in Milwaukee on Tuesday. The Mavericks continue a difficult stretch of their schedule, traveling to face Cleveland and then New Orleans on consecutive days before returning home next Wednesday to host Atlanta. According to National Statistical’s ELO system, Cleveland had an 82.90 percent probability to win. The Cavaliers covered the pregame spread as 12-point favorites, and the total score of 243 points went over the betting line of 231.

Preview: Cavaliers at Mavericks DALLAS (Interstat) — The Cleveland Cavaliers, riding a strong season and looking to rebound from a recent loss, are heavy favorites when they visit the struggling Dallas Mavericks on Friday night at American Airlines Center. Cleveland (40-26) arrives after a 128-122 road loss to the Orlando Magic on Wednesday, despite a 30-point, eight-assist effort from James Harden. The Cavaliers had won three straight prior to that defeat. Dallas (22-44) snapped a five-game losing streak with a 120-112 victory in Memphis on Thursday. The Cavaliers, led by the trio of Harden, Donovan Mitchell and Evan Mobley, present a formidable challenge. Harden has been a consistent force, averaging 20.6 points and 7.6 assists over his last 10 games. Mitchell is coming off a 25-point performance against Orlando, while Mobley recorded an 18-point, 13-rebound double-double. In contrast, the Mavericks have found wins scarce. Their victory over Memphis was just their third in the last 14 games. The team has struggled defensively, allowing an average of 117.2 points per game during that stretch. National Statistical’s ELO system gives Cleveland an 82.9% probability to win. Oddsmakers have installed the Cavaliers as 12-point favorites, with an over/under set at 231 total points. This game opens a brief two-game trip for Cleveland, which will host the Mavericks again in Cleveland on Sunday. Dallas continues a tough stretch of schedule, playing eight of its next 11 games on the road after Friday’s contest. The Mavericks will need significant contributions from veterans like Khris Middleton and Daniel Gafford to counter Cleveland’s high-powered attack and protect their home floor against one of the Eastern Conference’s top teams. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. CDT.