Dallas Mavericks: What to watch for in Mavs vs. Cavaliers

The Dallas Mavericks picked up a crucial win as they topped the Brooklyn Nets on Thursday evening. The Nets made it tough on Luka Doncic, but the Mavs superstar lifted his team to their eighth win in the last ten games. They have six games remaining in the regular season, and every win matters as they look to avoid the play-in tournament.

Dallas has no time to rest as they face the Cleveland Cavaliers on the second night of a back-to-back set on May 7. The Cavs have lost eight straight and have already ruled out six players for Friday’s game. The Mavericks must take care of business on their home floor. It is the first of two straight meetings between Dallas and Cleveland.

Here is a closer look at how and what fans should be watching for on May 7 as the Mavericks host the Cavaliers at the American Airlines Center.

Dallas Mavericks vs. Cleveland Cavaliers: How to watch

Start time: 7:30 p.m. CT or 8:30 p.m. ET

How to watch: Bally Sports Southwest (Dallas market), Bally Sports Ohio (Cleveland market)

Watch online: Bally Sports app (both local markets), NBA League Pass

Dallas Mavericks vs. Cleveland Cavaliers injury updates

The Mavs did not release an official injury report because they are on the second night of a back-to-back set. Kristaps Porzingis, Maxi Kleber, and Tyrell Terry all missed Thursday’s game against the Nets. Expect all three to remain out as they face the Cavaliers. The Mavericks could decide to rest players, so stay tuned for more updates.

The Cavaliers will be without Darius Garland (ankle), Larry Nance Jr. (thumb), Taurean Prince (ankle), Matthew Dellavedova (neck), Lamar Stevens (concussion), and Dylan Windler (knee) as they come to Dallas.

Fans must check Twitter before tipoff for any late-breaking injury information.

Dallas Mavericks storyline to follow: Luka’s dominance vs. Cleveland Cavaliers

The Mavs face the Cavs on Friday and Sunday in their only two meetings of the season. Luka Doncic will look to keep up his dominance over Cleveland. Dallas is undefeated in the four meetings during Luka’s tenure. Last season, Doncic had 30 points and 14 assists in the first matchup before dropping a 39-point triple-double as the Mavericks won by 20-plus in both games. As a rookie, Luka had 35 points versus the Cavaliers.

The Nets did a fantastic job of slowing down the 22-year-old in the second half on Thursday night. Expect Doncic to be locked in and ready to take it out on the Cavaliers on May 7.

The game has massive playoff implications. The Dallas Mavericks are one game up on both the Portland Trail Blazers and Los Angeles Lakers, who face off on Friday night. One of those three teams will be part of the play-in tournament. The Mavs will be looking to stay in fifth and clinch the Southwest Division for the first time since 2010 with a win on May 7. That could be a key tiebreaker in the race to avoid the play-in. Expect Dallas to be ready on Friday night. Do not miss it.