The Cavaliers are back home Saturday night to meet the Mavericks, but the schedule may force Cleveland into a different kind of lineup decision.
Cleveland comes in at 6-7 after losing 133-121 in Miami on Friday, and the team did not get back to Cleveland until about 11 AM Saturday. Because of that turnaround, the Cavaliers may choose to rest their regulars for this one.
Dallas, meanwhile, has spent the last couple of days in Cleveland and arrives with a strong start to the season intact at 7-5.
The biggest draw in this matchup is Cooper Flagg, who has been one of the league’s most entertaining young players through his first 11 games. The reigning Rookie of the Year is averaging 24.6 points, 6.9 rebounds and 6.5 assists, and he already has a 43-point night against Indiana on Monday. Even with a few rough outings mixed in, his impact on both ends has been impossible to miss.
Kyrie Irving also brings plenty of attention back to Cleveland. He is set to play there for the first time since February 27, 2024, and Rocket Arena is marking the 10-year anniversary of the Cavaliers’ 2016 championship. Irving missed all of last season with an ACL tear, and this year he has looked lively again, including a pair of 35-point games against Indiana and Houston.
Dallas has gotten more than just its two headliners. P.J. Washington and Daniel Gafford have given the Mavericks a steady frontcourt presence, with Washington adding 14.3 points per game on offense.
First-year head coach Dusty May has also been sorting through the rest of the rotation. Max Christie opened the season as a starter, but he has not given Dallas much so far. Recently, May has turned to Caleb Martin for some minutes to start games, while Naji Marshall and former No. 1 pick Zaccharie Risacher have typically handled the wing spots.
Beyond Flagg and Irving, the Mavericks have leaned on a mix of moving parts. Walter Clayton and rookie big Morez Johnson have even been used to close some games, while veteran big Santi Aldama has just returned from injury. Dallas may not have many household names outside its top two, but the roster has shown it can get contributions from different places.
If Cleveland does hold out its regular starters, the door opens for younger players to get a longer look. Meleek Thomas and Tyrese Proctor have both stood out off the bench, with Proctor scoring 37 points over his last two games and Thomas already ranking third on the team in made field goals per game.
That would also create more chances for deeper pieces like Craig Porter Jr., Riley Minix and Norchad Omier. Porter, in particular, could use a night like this after a slow start in limited minutes. A strong all-around showing could help him build some momentum going forward.
If Cleveland goes with the regular group, the listed starting five is James Harden, Donovan Mitchell, Jaylon Tyson, Peyton Watson and Jarrett Allen. Dallas is expected to start Kyrie Irving, Caleb Martin, Cooper Flagg, P.J. Washington and Daniel Gafford.
If the Cavaliers decide to rest their usual starters, Kenny Atkinson could turn to Tyrese Proctor, Meleek Thomas, Jaylon Tyson, Mario Hezonja and Thomas Bryant.
In Other News...
Mavericks Suddenly Face A Max Christie Concern They Cant Ignore
Max Christie has been one of the more dependable rotation pieces for Dallas early this season, showing up in 11 of 12 games and giving the Mavericks a steady presence on the wing. His modest scoring numbers have still come with useful all-around production, including 5.3 points, 2.9 rebounds and 1.2 assists per game, which is the kind of secondary contribution this roster leans on when the offense gets stretched thin.
Now the Mavericks have to monitor his status closely heading into the Cleveland Cavaliers matchup, with Christie dealing with an ankle issue that could put him on the injury report at the wrong time. If he cannot go, it would only be the second game he has missed this season, a small sample that still underscores how quickly a nagging injury can complicate a teams plans when a role player has quietly become part of the nightly structure. [Read more 🡒]
Mavericks Have A Roster Problem They Cant Keep Ignoring
The loss to Minnesota was another reminder that Dallas can survive a quiet night from one star only if the rest of the offense picks up the slack. Instead, Cooper Flagg and Kyrie Irving were both limited, and the Mavericks again leaned on a supporting cast that has flashed scoring punch in bursts but not with any real consistency. At 7-5, the record is still respectable, but the pattern is becoming hard to ignore for a team trying to build something sturdier around its top two names.
Several role players have had their moments with 20-point outbursts, yet none has settled into the dependable third option Dallas needs from night to night. That is what makes the conversation around the roster feel so pointed now, because this is less about one bad game and more about whether the Mavericks have enough reliable offense when the stars are contained. If that answer keeps coming back no, the front office may have to start looking outside the room for a fix. [Read more 🡒]
Mavericks Face A Dangerous Trade Temptation In Search Of Scoring
The Mavericks keep running into the same problem: finding a reliable third scorer to ease the burden on Cooper Flagg and Kyrie Irving. That search naturally sends attention toward the trade market, and Dejounte Murray has emerged as a name worth watching after his situation in New Orleans changed. On paper, he brings the kind of shot creation Dallas could use, especially if the front office is looking for another perimeter creator to stabilize the offense.
But Murray is also the kind of swing that can backfire if the fit is wrong. His contract is hefty, his injury history adds risk, and his shooting limitations raise real questions about how cleanly he would mesh with the Mavericks' roster and timeline. For a team trying to solve a scoring issue without creating a new roster problem, that makes him a tempting target on the surface and a complicated one underneath. [Read more 🡒]