Kyrie Irving’s third quarter began as a rescue mission and ended as a reminder that scoring runs need company. He put 20 points on Cleveland in the period, yet the Cavaliers scored 34 themselves. Dallas won the quarter 38-34, trimming an 18-point halftime deficit by four and carrying a 14-point gap into the fourth.
That was the shape of the Mavericks’ 127-117 loss Saturday night in Cleveland: Irving supplied enough offense to make the comeback visible, but Dallas could not make the game uncomfortable for Cleveland on the other end.
Irving’s burst was not empty-volume scoring. At 8:35 of the third, he made a 13-foot jumper and added the free throw. Thirty seconds later, he hit a 29-foot 3-pointer assisted by Caleb Martin. Naji Marshall then found him for a running layup at 6:45, and Cooper Flagg set up his 25-foot 3-pointer with 3:41 remaining.
Irving kept adding points as the period wore on. He made a running 24-foot jumper at 2:46, finished a layup at 2:04 and knocked down another 29-footer with 1:39 left. His final third-quarter point came at the line with 5.2 seconds remaining. Dallas had received an extraordinary individual burst. Cleveland nevertheless entered the fourth ahead 105–91.
The Cavaliers had too much offense in motion themselves. Mario Hezonja made a 24-foot three at 8:15, before Irving’s first third-quarter three, and later connected again at 1:27. Thomas Bryant, Jaylon Tyson and Norchad Omier also supplied baskets. Cleveland did not need one player to match Irving throughout the period; the collective response was enough to preserve most of the halftime cushion.
Irving finished with 34 points, six rebounds and five assists, making 11 of 25 shots and seven of 16 from 3-point range. He committed one turnover. Those numbers belong in the category of a strong offensive night. Dallas did not lose because Irving failed to generate points.
The trouble was that his best stretch did not change the basic exchange of possessions. Cleveland shot 48 of 90 from the field, or 53.3 percent. Dallas made 39 of 94, or 41.5 percent.
The Mavericks did earn 31 free throws to Cleveland’s 18 and scored 20 points off 17 Cavaliers turnovers. Cleveland scored 13 points off Dallas’ eight total turnovers. Better ball security and extra foul shots kept Dallas attached to the game’s edges, but neither erased the difference in made field goals.
The first half had created too much ground to recover casually. The opening quarter ended level at 33–33, then Cleveland scored 38 points in the second while Dallas managed 20. Proctor added a long three near halftime, one more contribution to a period the Cavaliers won decisively.
