CLEVLEAND (AP) – The riders set up the scoring on the Mavericks without overflowing.
Cleveland scored 91 points – corresponding to the third the first half in the history of the NBA – and rose to A victory of 144-101 on Dallas, who was not at full power because of the injuries and after The superstar of negotiation Luka Doncic at the Los Angeles Lakers earlier on Sunday.
The NBA-Best Cavs (40-9) has established several franchise records, including 3 points (26), quarter points (50 in the first) and the biggest first half (45). Cleveland also equaled its 3S record in half a half by making 16 in the first 24 minutes.
“Everyone was just locked even with the job and everything that was going on today,” said Cavs All-Star Evan Mobley, who had 22 points and 11 rebounds in 23 minutes. “We started hot and kept off on the gas.”
The Phoenix Suns own the record of points in the first half with 107 against Denver on November 10, 1990. The Golden State Warriors fell 92 on Chicago in 2018 and the Houston Rockets scored 91 against Brooklyn in 2022.
At the end of the first half, Sam Merrill, who finished with 27 points out of nine points for Cleveland, thought that everything was possible.
“We were 80 (points) with about four minutes and I said to myself:” guy, let’s try to get 100 “,” said Merrill. “But these games are not always easy. I was one of the games where everyone was released and it is a close game because it is difficult to have the right mindset in a game like this.
“It is such a credit for starters to go out and play in the right direction and to communicate and defend and share basketball. To go out to this big lead, then the benches enter and continue. I was one of the 80s but 90 (half-time) is crazy. »»
Dallas coach Jason Kidd, and the Mavericks arrived at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse still trying to treat the trade in Doncic, the face of the franchise, in Los Angeles for the Anthony Davis center.
Kidd then had to face the Cavs without Kyrie Irving and several other injured players.
It was not pretty, and then Kidd expressed thank you, it was not worse.
“No one was injured and we were able to give the guys time who generally did not have time,” said Kidd. “We just started starting to start. They pulled the 3 at a high level and they did it all year round. »»
The Cavs have not shown no pity on Dallas, making 9 of the 11 3 in the first quarter while opening a 31 -point lead. Cleveland did seven others from the arc in the second quarter and finished 16 of the 22 (73%) out of 3s in half.
Score’s frenzy continued in the second half, and when the Cavs approached the team record for 3s in the last minutes, Merrill said he could hear his teammates shouting for him.
“There were certainly encouragement,” he said. “I didn’t know why everyone was screaming, but I thought that was why.”
Merrill’s 3 with 1:49 on the left broke the previous team brand of 25 3s. He missed a few seconds later and even Tristan Thompson, who has 10 careers 3 in 13 seasons, tried to introduce himself but was short with his long -term attempt.
It was a necessary escape for Merrill, who fought with his shot. He went 0 for 4 out of 3s against Atlanta on Thursday and fired 33% on 3 points – five points below his average career.
“It feels good to have an excellent shooting game like that, but it’s just a match,” said Merrill. “It’s about entering a rhythm. There were times this year when I felt that I was starting to enter a pace, then the last match, I fell ill. So a game was fun but we move on to the next. »»
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